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OCR GCSE Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download free OCR GCSE Geography A (J383) past papers, mark schemes & examiner reports. UK geography, world themes and geographical skills. 54 resources.

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June 2023

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – Living in the UK today

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – Living in the UK today resource booklet

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – The world around us

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – Geographical skills resource booklet

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – The world around us resource booklet

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Mark scheme – The world around us

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June 2022

5 files

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – Living in the UK today

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – Living in the UK today resource booklet

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – The world around us

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – Geographical skills resource booklet

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – The world around us resource booklet

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November 2021

5 files

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – Living in the UK today

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – Living in the UK today resource booklet

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – The world around us

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – Geographical skills resource booklet

Question Paper

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – The world around us resource booklet

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November 2020

5 files

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – Living in the UK today resource booklet

Question Paper

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – The world around us

Question Paper

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – Geographical skills resource booklet

Question Paper

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – The world around us resource booklet

Question Paper

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Question paper – Living in the UK today

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No date

4 files

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – The world around us

Sample Assessment Materials

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – The world around us

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Taster booklet

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Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) – Geographical skills

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OCR Geography A (J383): Living in the UK, The World Around Us, and the Fieldwork Skills Paper

OCR GCSE Geography A: Geographical Themes (J383) divides the subject into three papers that move from the local to the global, then test the skills that underpin both. Paper 1, Living in the UK Today, examines the UK's diverse physical and human landscapes — from river processes and coastal management to population change and urban challenges. Paper 2, The World Around Us, broadens the lens to global issues including natural hazards, climate change, global development, and resource management. Paper 3, Geographical Skills, is the specification's most distinctive feature. Rather than testing knowledge of specific topics, it assesses students' ability to interpret maps, photographs, graphs, and data — including material from their own fieldwork. A resource booklet accompanies the paper, presenting unfamiliar data that students must analyse on the spot. Paper 1 lasts 1 hour 15 minutes (60 marks, 30%), Paper 2 lasts 1 hour 30 minutes (90 marks, 45%), and Paper 3 lasts 1 hour 30 minutes (50 marks, 25%). There is no coursework — all assessment is through the three exams, and all three are single tier, graded 9–1. The specification requires two pieces of fieldwork — one physical and one human — but these are examined through Paper 3 rather than assessed as separate coursework. Students must be prepared to describe, explain, and evaluate their fieldwork methods and conclusions.

Exam Paper Structure

Paper 1

Living in the UK Today

⏱ 1 hour 15 minutes🎯 60 marks📊 30% of grade

Landscapes of the UK — rivers and coastsPeople of the UK — population and economyUK environmental challenges

Paper 2

The World Around Us

⏱ 1 hour 30 minutes🎯 90 marks📊 45% of grade

Natural hazards — tectonic and weatherClimate change and sustainabilityGlobal development and resource management

Paper 3

Geographical Skills

⏱ 1 hour 30 minutes🎯 50 marks📊 25% of grade

Map skills — OS maps and GISFieldwork methodology and evaluationData interpretation and graphical skills

Key Information

Exam Board	OCR
Specification Code	J383
Qualification	GCSE
Grading Scale	9–1
Assessment Type	3 written exams (no coursework)
Tiers	None (single tier)
Number Of Papers	3
Exam Duration	1h15m (Paper 1), 1h30m (Papers 2 & 3)
Total Marks	200 (60 + 90 + 50)
Calculator Status	Calculator allowed in all papers
Total Resources	54

Key Topics in Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1)

Topics you need to know

UK landscapes — rivers, coasts and glaciationPopulation change, migration and urbanisationNatural hazards — earthquakes, volcanoes and tropical stormsClimate change — causes, effects and responsesGlobal development and inequalityFieldwork investigation and geographical skills

Exam Command Words

Command word	What the examiner expects
Describe	Give the main features or patterns shown in a resource or location
Explain	Give developed geographical reasons for a process or pattern
Assess	Weigh up the evidence and reach a judgement, considering different viewpoints
Evaluate	Judge the effectiveness or importance of a strategy, reaching a justified conclusion
Compare	Identify similarities and differences between places, data or processes
Suggest	Apply geographical knowledge to propose an explanation for an unfamiliar situation

Typical Grade Boundaries

Grade	Approximate mark needed
Grade 9	74–84%
Grade 8	63–73%
Grade 7	53–62%
Grade 6	44–52%
Grade 5	36–43%
Grade 4	28–35%
Grade 3	20–27%
Grade 2	12–19%
Grade 1	~5–11%

⚠️ Typical boundaries across three papers (200 total marks). Actual boundaries vary by series — check OCR's website.

Resource Booklets, Fieldwork Questions, and Map Skills: Preparing for OCR Geography A

Paper 3 uses an unseen resource booklet, so you cannot predict the specific data. Instead, practise the skills: reading Ordnance Survey maps at 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scale, interpreting climate graphs, calculating interquartile ranges, and describing patterns shown in photographs. These skills transfer directly regardless of the specific data presented. For your fieldwork questions, prepare a concise summary of each investigation covering: the enquiry question, location, sampling method, data collection technique, presentation method, analysis, conclusion, and evaluation. Know the limitations of your methods and how you would improve them — examiners reward critical self-evaluation. Papers 1 and 2 reward geographical vocabulary used precisely. Words like 'meander', 'urbanisation', 'multiplier effect', and 'tectonic plate boundary' should be part of your active vocabulary, not words you recognise but cannot define under exam conditions. When answering 8-mark 'assess' or 'evaluate' questions, structure your answer as: Point 1 with evidence, Point 2 with evidence, counter-argument, and a final judgement. The mark scheme explicitly rewards balanced answers that weigh different perspectives.

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OCR GCSE Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) Past Papers & Mark Schemes

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June 2023

June 2022

November 2021

November 2020

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OCR Geography A (J383): Living in the UK, The World Around Us, and the Fieldwork Skills Paper

Exam Paper Structure

Key Information

Key Topics in Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1)

Exam Command Words

Typical Grade Boundaries

Resource Booklets, Fieldwork Questions, and Map Skills: Preparing for OCR Geography A

More OCR GCSE Subjects

Gateway Science Suite

Twenty First Century Science Suite

Mathematics (9-1)

History B (Schools History Project) (9-1)

History A (Explaining the Modern World) (9-1)

Religious Studies (9-1)

Classical Greek (9-1)

Classical Civilisation (9-1)

Latin (9-1)

English Language (9-1)

Geography B (Geography for Enquiring Minds) (9-1)

English Literature (9-1)

Citizenship Studies (9-1)

Ancient History (9-1)

Physical Education (9-1)

Economics (9-1)

Business (9-1)

Psychology (9-1)

Design and Technology (9-1)

Music (9-1)

Drama (9-1)

Food Preparation and Nutrition (9-1)

Computer Science (9-1)

Media Studies (9-1)

Art and Design (9-1)

Geography B (9-1)

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