Geography:
Attainment target level descriptions

Following the Government's decision not to proceed with the revisions to level descriptions consulted on in 2009, schools should use the level descriptions contained in the secondary curriculum handbook for end of Key Stage 3 statutory assessment at the end of Year 9 from 2011 until further notice (from 2010 for schools which have a compressed, two-year Key Stage 3).

A consolidated set of the level descriptions which should be used are set out below. These are drawn from the primary curriculum handbook (1999) for levels 1-3, and from the secondary curriculum handbook (2007) for levels 4-8 and exceptional performance.

Level 1

Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies at a local scale. They recognise and make observations about physical and human features of localities. They express their views on features of the environment of a locality. They use resources that are given to them, and their own observations, to ask and respond to questions about places and environments.

Level 2

Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies at a local scale. They describe physical and human features of places, and recognise and make observations about those features that give places their character. They show an awareness of places beyond their own locality. They express views on the environment of a locality and recognise how people affect the environment. They carry out simple tasks and select information using resources that are given to them. They use this information and their own observations to help them ask and respond to questions about places and environments. They begin to use appropriate geographical vocabulary.

Level 3

Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies at a local scale. They describe and compare the physical and human features of different localities and offer explanations for the locations of some of those features. They are aware that different places may have both similar and different characteristics. They offer reasons for some of their observations and for their views and judgements about places and environments. They recognise how people seek to improve and sustain environments. They use skills and sources of evidence to respond to a range of geographical questions, and begin to use appropriate vocabulary to communicate their findings.

Level 4

Pupils show knowledge and understanding of aspects of the geography of the UK and the wider world. They recognise and describe the physical and human features of places and appreciate the importance of wider geographical location in understanding places. They understand that physical and human processes can change the features of places and explain how these changes affect the lives and activities of people living there. They recognise and describe simple geographical patterns. They understand that people can both improve and damage the environment. They offer reasons for their own views about environmental change and recognise that other people may hold different views. Drawing on their knowledge and understanding, they suggest suitable geographical questions, and use a range of geographical skills to help them investigate places and environments. They use primary and secondary sources of evidence in their investigations and communicate their findings using appropriate vocabulary.

Level 5

Pupils show increasing depth of knowledge and understanding of aspects of the geography of the UK and the wider world. They use this to describe physical and human characteristics of places within a wider locational and contextual framework. They demonstrate understanding of geographical diversity by describing how physical and human processes can lead to similarities and differences in the environments of different places and in the lives of people who live there. They describe and begin to explain geographical patterns. They understand some ways that human activities cause environments to change. They demonstrate an awareness of the idea of sustainable development and recognise the range of views people hold about environmental interaction and change. Drawing on their knowledge and understanding, they begin to suggest relevant geographical questions. They select and use appropriate skills and ways of presenting information to help them investigate places and environments. They select information and sources of evidence in which they are beginning to identify bias. They suggest plausible conclusions to their investigations and present their findings both graphically and in writing using appropriate vocabulary.

Level 6

Pupils use their knowledge and understanding of the geography of the UK and the wider world to describe and begin to analyse physical and human characteristics of places in a range of locations, contexts and scales. They describe and explain physical and human processes and recognise that these processes interact to produce the distinctive characteristics of places. They demonstrate understanding of the ways in which physical and human processes lead to diversity and change in places. They identify geographical patterns at a range of scales. They recognise how conflicting demands on the environment may arise and describe and compare sustainable and other approaches to managing environments. They appreciate that different values and attitudes, including their own, result in different approaches to environmental interaction and change. Drawing on their knowledge and understanding, they suggest relevant geographical questions and issues and appropriate sequences of investigation. They select a range of skills and sources of evidence and use them effectively in their investigations. They identify potential bias in sources. They present their findings in a coherent way using appropriate methods and vocabulary and reach conclusions that are consistent with the evidence.

Level 7

Pupils make links in their knowledge and understanding of the geography of the UK and the wider world. They use these links to analyse the physical and human characteristics of places, drawing on their knowledge of a wide range of locations, contexts and scales. They describe and explain interactions within and between physical and human processes and show how these interactions create diversity and interdependence and help change places and environments. They identify and analyse geographical patterns that result from these interactions at a range of scales. They understand that many factors influence the decisions made about sustainable and other approaches to developing places and environments, and use this understanding to explain the resulting changes. They appreciate that the environment in a place and the lives of the people who live there are affected by actions and events in other places. They recognise that human actions, including their own, may have unintended environmental consequences and that change sometimes leads to conflict. With growing independence, they draw on their knowledge and understanding to identify geographical questions and issues and establish their own sequence of investigation. They select and use accurately a wide range of skills. They evaluate sources of evidence critically, detect and respond to bias, present well-argued summaries of their investigations, use accurate geographical vocabulary and begin to reach substantiated conclusions.

Level 8

Pupils use their knowledge and understanding of the geography of the UK and the wider world to analyse the physical and human characteristics of places. They explain changes in the characteristics of places over time by drawing on their knowledge and understanding of a wide range of locations, contexts and scales. They analyse the interactions within and between physical and human processes and show how these interactions create diversity and interdependence and help change places and environments. They describe and analyse the geographical patterns these interactions create at a range of scales and the changes that result. They analyse different approaches to developing places and environments and explain the causes and consequences of environmental change. They understand how the interaction between people and environments can result in complex and unintended changes. They understand and describe a range of views about environmental interaction. Drawing on their knowledge and understanding, they show independence in identifying appropriate geographical questions and issues, and in using an effective sequence of investigation. They select a wide range of skills and use them effectively and accurately. They evaluate sources of evidence critically before using them in their investigations. They present full and coherently argued summaries of their investigations and reach substantiated conclusions.

Exceptional performance

Pupils use their knowledge and understanding of the geography of the UK and the wider world to analyse the physical and human characteristics of places. They explain and predict change in the characteristics of places over time by drawing on a detailed knowledge of a wide range of locations, contexts and scales. They explain complex interactions within and between physical and human processes and show how these interactions help change places and environments. They analyse complex geographical patterns. They understand alternative approaches to development and their implications for the quality of life in different places. They assess the relative merits of different ways of tackling environmental issues and justify their views about these different approaches. They understand how considerations of sustainable development can affect their own lives as well as the planning and management of environments and resources. They illustrate this with a full range of examples. They draw selectively on geographical ideas and theories, and use accurately a wide range of appropriate skills and sources of evidence. They carry out geographical investigations independently at different scales. They evaluate sources of evidence critically and present coherent arguments and effective, accurate and well-substantiated conclusions.