Welcome back after half-term. I hope that you've defrosted and that there's a spring in your step as well as spring in the air...

Important update regarding GCSE reforms 2012
I've had a few queries from colleagues recently, asking about possible changes to the GCSE specifications when they go linear from September 2012, first exam summer 2014, so I want to make sure that I am keeping you informed on a regular basis by email and via our Geography Subject Page.

As you know, we are only proposing to make the changes necessary for linear assessment and SPaG. For GCSE Geography, this would mean no major content changes and three separate terminal exams plus an unchanged controlled assessment (subject to accreditation by Ofqual). However, Ofqual is planning to carry out a review of all GCSE Geography specifications across all awarding bodies to ensure that they meet all of the regulatory requirements, that they make clear the full course of study required of candidates, and that the assessment arrangements support this.

Just so you know, we have carried out thorough internal and external reviews of both our Geography specifications and, although we are confident that they meet the current regulations, we are proposing some changes to assessments on GCSE Geography A in order to clarify the breadth of study required at this level. We will submit these changes to Ofqual at the end of February and be informed of accreditation decisions by Friday 20 April, at the latest. I will be in touch with you as soon as I know the outcome of this process. This of course means that we can't, at this stage, confirm exactly what changes may be required as a result of this Ofqual review. However, I will keep you informed about the latest developments as they arise.

We'll be providing a comprehensive support package to help with the changes made for linear and SPaG, and for any changes made as a result of this Ofqual review of all GCSE Geography specifications. In the first instance, we will be running free online events in March to provide you with more information on the changes. Details of these events can be found below and you can book a place online at our training page.

GCSE Geography B Unit 3 Resource Booklets
The Summer 2012 pre-released Resource Booklet for GCSE Geography B: Unit 3 DME on 'Sustainability and London's 2012 Olympics' is now in centres. Ask your Exams Officer to give you these advance copies so you can use them with your students as you wish from now. We know that photocopying is costly and budgets are tight so we'll send you an additional clean resource booklet with each question paper in the summer for candidates to use in the exam. There's an online event 'How to deliver content and skills for Unit 3 Making Geographical Decisions - An Overview' on 27 February. Book your place visit our training page and enter the event code 11OGA11/01.

Upcoming events
 - Our Getting Ready To Teach: International GCSE Geography & Edexcel Certificate in Geography (International GCSE for UK-state schools) from 2012 event takes place at the Royal Geographical Society on Monday 19 March. To book your free place visit our training page and enter the event code 11NGA19/01.

 - Visit us on stand 55 at the Geographical Association Conference Manchester 12-14 April to say hello and for a chance to win an Apple iPad!

Here are our January 2012 exam feedback events. Visit our training page and enter the event code to book:

January 2012 exam materials
Question papers - available now on the relevant qualification page.

Mark schemes - available now on the relevant qualification page.

Examiners' Reports - available on ResultsPlus on 8 March and on relevant qualification page from 13 March.

Upcoming key dates
The final dates for submitting your marks and samples of work for coursework/controlled assessment for the summer 2012 series are:
 - Entry Level Certificate in Geography: 4 May 2012
 - GCSE Geography controlled assessment: 15 May 2012
Final dates for summer 2012 entries:
 - Entry Level Geography entries: 21 March 2012
 - International GCSE Geography entries: 21 March 2012
 - GCSE Geography entries: 21 March 2012
 - GCE Geography entries: 21 March 2012
Note that we have moved ALL entry deadlines to 21 March!
You can download the June 2012 examination timetables here.
  Results will be issued to candidates on the following days:
 - January series GCSE and GCE results: 8 March 2012
 - Summer series GCE results: 16 August 2012
 - Summer series GCSE and International GCSE: 23 August 2012
Pre-release of Advance Information:
 - GCE Geography Unit 3 and Unit 4 summer 2012 pre-releases on the website: 3 May 2012
 - GCSE Geography B Unit 3 DME theme for June 2014 exam on the qualification page : 1 June 2012
 - GCSE Geography Controlled Assessment tasks for 2014 on the qualification page: 7 June 2012

Geography at Key Stages 3 and 4 survey
We'd like to better understand current teaching practices and experiences across Key Stages 3 and 4 in order that we might support you better. We'd be grateful if you could complete the survey at this link. All completed surveys by Friday 24 February will be entered into a free prize draw to win one of three prizes of Amazon vouchers, with a first prize of 50 worth of vouchers, second prize of 30 worth of vouchers and a third prize of 20 worth of Amazon vouchers.

Take part in a new ResultsPlus pilot service for Geography
This March we are testing out a new service in ResultsPlus. Teachers who opt in to the pilot service can receive automated emailed highlight reports for GCSE and GCE Geography results from the January 2012 series. The report - available from 6am on 8 March - will offer insights into your cohort's best and worst questions or curriculum areas in relation to the national cohort. This is a pilot with a view to offering a more comprehensive service later in the year. As with ResultsPlus, the reports are free. To join our pilot and have the opportunity of shaping our future services please sign up using our quick online form.

Geography in the news...

·         Bric Power! Story on Brazilian rapper Criolo - the megastar of the megacities - a nice hook into A-level and GCSE globalisation, world cities, growth of urban areas, as well as the uneasy relationship between the culture of consumerism and concerns about biodiversity loss and its role in raising awareness of environmental change (eat your heart out Chico Mendez).

• A useful study our AS Unit 1 course - Logging's devastating impact on the Philippines floods -that requires students to have some knowledge of the disasters that periodically affect the Philippines. It is a disaster hotspot, meaning people are exposed to risk from two or more hazard groups. Being a lower-income country with high coastal population density and much poverty, the Philippines often suffers a high death toll when hazards strike. Events at the end of 2011 have sadly reminded us of this. A combination of coastal and river flooding, driven by Typhoon Washi lead to severe impacts not only because of the magnitude the event but also the vulnerability of the population further exacerbated by logging.
• Map reading on the decline? - look to our GCSE A Unit 1 Skills OS Map work as a possible antidote?
• This 'news' gets earlier every year - Drought fears for Britain. When will the 'wetter, warmer winters' promised by UK climate change kick in? Nice rain/drought overlay map...good for GCSE A and B Water topics.
• A good collection of Water/Watery World and Water Conflicts links for GCSE A, GCSE B and GCE compiled by Jane Kilpatrick.

·         Some nice work from Garry Simmons useful for Edexcel AS Unit 2 Extreme Weather explaining the recent UK snowfall

• Is it a wave? Is it a cloud? Or just a haar? Interesting images from Florida
• Eleven months after the tsunami and earthquake ravaged Japan new pictures show the incredible progress being made...
• Why is Hebden Bridge the *** capital? Good case study for Edexcel AS 'Rebranding Places' topic or A2 'Cultural Diversity' option. [Apologies for the  1950s cultural attitiudes of our SPAM filter...]
• Olympics shoot for green medal - great for 2012 GCSE B Unit 3 DME.

I hope this is useful.

All the best,

Jon

Geography Subject Advisor

GeographySubjectAdvisor@edexcelexperts.co.uk