Subject · GCSE and A level
Geography
Which schools in England make Geography a big part of the curriculum, and where results are strongest. Entries and grades from the 2025 performance tables.
What the data says
Geography GCSE was taken in 3,822 schools in England in 2025, with 287,353 entries — about 41% of the Year 11 cohort.
Nationally 25% of entries achieved grade 7 or above. The tables below show the schools where the largest share of pupils take the subject, and where grades are highest (schools with at least 20 entries).
At The Rural Enterprise Academy (Staffordshire) 100% of the year group took Geography.
At A level, Geography was offered in 2,073 schools and colleges, with 29,217 entries — roughly 10% of A level students.
GCSE: schools with the highest share of grades 7–9
Schools with at least 20 entries. England: 25% of entries graded 7–9. High grades often reflect who is admitted (selective and independent schools) as much as teaching.
| # | School | Local authority | Entries | Cohort | Share | Grades 7–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Henrietta Barnett School | Barnet | 76 | 104 | 73% | 100% |
| 2 | St Paul's Girls' School | Hammersmith and Fulham | 72 | 114 | 63% | 100% |
| 3 | Putney High School GDST | Wandsworth | 49 | 107 | 46% | 100% |
| 4 | Magdalen College School | Oxfordshire | 48 | 113 | 42% | 100% |
| 5 | Wilson's School | Sutton | 142 | 186 | 76% | 99% |
| 6 | Brighton College | Brighton and Hove | 122 | 217 | 56% | 98% |
| 7 | Bancroft's School | Redbridge | 50 | 116 | 43% | 98% |
| 8 | City of London School for Girls | City of London | 48 | 100 | 48% | 98% |
| 9 | Kendrick School | Reading | 92 | 128 | 72% | 98% |
| 10 | The Tiffin Girls' School | Kingston upon Thames | 86 | 176 | 49% | 98% |
| 11 | Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet | Barnet | 144 | 193 | 75% | 97% |
| 12 | Stratford Girls' Grammar School | Warwickshire | 53 | 120 | 44% | 96% |
| 13 | King Edward VI School | Warwickshire | 78 | 90 | 87% | 96% |
| 14 | Westminster School | Westminster | 50 | 122 | 41% | 96% |
| 15 | Wimbledon High School GDST | Merton | 49 | 102 | 48% | 96% |
| 16 | Alleyn's School | Southwark | 69 | 155 | 45% | 96% |
| 17 | James Allen's Girls' School | Southwark | 45 | 108 | 42% | 96% |
| 18 | St Paul's School | Richmond upon Thames | 132 | 201 | 66% | 95% |
| 19 | The Perse School | Cambridgeshire | 126 | 196 | 64% | 94% |
| 20 | Pate's Grammar School | Gloucestershire | 90 | 151 | 60% | 94% |
| 21 | St Helen and St Katharine | Oxfordshire | 52 | 98 | 53% | 94% |
| 22 | City of London School | City of London | 62 | 148 | 42% | 94% |
| 23 | Eton College | Windsor and Maidenhead | 145 | 269 | 54% | 93% |
| 24 | Surbiton High School | Kingston upon Thames | 85 | 154 | 55% | 93% |
| 25 | Oxford High School GDST | Oxfordshire | 42 | 92 | 46% | 93% |
| 26 | Francis Holland School | Westminster | 28 | 81 | 35% | 93% |
| 27 | Haberdashers' Boys' School | Hertfordshire | 125 | 156 | 80% | 93% |
| 28 | Altrincham Grammar School for Girls | Trafford | 107 | 208 | 51% | 93% |
| 29 | City of London Freemen's School | Surrey | 39 | 109 | 36% | 92% |
| 30 | Royal Grammar School Guildford | Surrey | 63 | 145 | 43% | 92% |
| 31 | Alcester Grammar School | Warwickshire | 63 | 151 | 42% | 92% |
| 32 | Dulwich College | Southwark | 125 | 241 | 52% | 92% |
| 33 | Emanuel School | Wandsworth | 62 | 184 | 34% | 92% |
| 34 | Dr Challoner's High School | Buckinghamshire | 111 | 183 | 61% | 92% |
| 35 | Michaela Community School | Brent | 61 | 117 | 52% | 92% |
| 36 | King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford | Essex | 96 | 150 | 64% | 92% |
| 37 | Kingston Grammar School | Kingston upon Thames | 72 | 124 | 58% | 92% |
| 38 | Heckmondwike Grammar School | Kirklees | 72 | 206 | 35% | 92% |
| 39 | Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls | Birmingham | 48 | 179 | 27% | 92% |
| 40 | Nonsuch High School for Girls | Sutton | 118 | 233 | 51% | 92% |
A level: schools and colleges where the largest share of students take Geography
Entries as a share of A level students (at least 30 A level students and 10 entries). England: 10% of A level students.
| # | School | Local authority | Entries | Cohort | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Nottinghamshire Academy | Nottinghamshire | 25 | 49 | 51% |
| 2 | Kew House | Hounslow | 31 | 75 | 41% |
| 3 | Sherburn High School | North Yorkshire | 12 | 31 | 39% |
| 4 | Birkenhead High School Academy | Wirral | 17 | 44 | 39% |
| 5 | Nailsea School | North Somerset | 30 | 80 | 38% |
| 6 | Erasmus Darwin Academy | Staffordshire | 31 | 83 | 37% |
| 7 | The Cottesloe School | Buckinghamshire | 26 | 70 | 37% |
| 8 | Sir Graham Balfour High School | Staffordshire | 13 | 35 | 37% |
| 9 | Sidmouth College | Devon | 17 | 46 | 37% |
| 10 | Great Marlow School | Buckinghamshire | 44 | 121 | 36% |
| 11 | The Queen Katherine School | Westmorland and Furness | 26 | 74 | 35% |
| 12 | Great Baddow High School | Essex | 41 | 118 | 35% |
| 13 | The John of Gaunt School | Wiltshire | 17 | 49 | 35% |
| 14 | Bungay High School | Suffolk | 13 | 38 | 34% |
| 15 | Fulford School | York | 51 | 153 | 33% |
| 16 | Leweston School | Dorset | 10 | 30 | 33% |
| 17 | The Duchess's Community High School | Northumberland | 28 | 84 | 33% |
| 18 | Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy | Gateshead | 21 | 64 | 33% |
| 19 | Twycross House School | Leicestershire | 12 | 37 | 32% |
| 20 | Meden School | Nottinghamshire | 12 | 37 | 32% |
| 21 | Kingsbury Green Academy | Wiltshire | 20 | 62 | 32% |
| 22 | Kimbolton School | Cambridgeshire | 39 | 121 | 32% |
| 23 | Beverley Grammar School | East Riding of Yorkshire | 13 | 41 | 32% |
| 24 | Clapton Girls' Academy | Hackney | 30 | 95 | 32% |
| 25 | Wellsway School | Bath and North East Somerset | 30 | 95 | 32% |
| 26 | Chichester High School | West Sussex | 18 | 57 | 32% |
| 27 | Talbot Heath School | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 10 | 32 | 31% |
| 28 | The Windsor Boys' School | Windsor and Maidenhead | 29 | 93 | 31% |
| 29 | Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre | Kent | 33 | 106 | 31% |
| 30 | Biddulph High School | Staffordshire | 12 | 39 | 31% |
| 31 | Beechen Cliff School | Bath and North East Somerset | 54 | 176 | 31% |
| 32 | Liskeard School and Community College | Cornwall | 15 | 49 | 31% |
| 33 | South Hampstead High School GDST | Camden | 29 | 95 | 31% |
| 34 | Torquay Boys' Grammar School | Torbay | 28 | 93 | 30% |
| 35 | Ashby School | Leicestershire | 68 | 226 | 30% |
| 36 | Lymm High School | Warrington | 52 | 173 | 30% |
| 37 | Royal Hospital School | Suffolk | 26 | 87 | 30% |
| 38 | Northampton High School GDST | West Northamptonshire | 14 | 47 | 30% |
| 39 | Wolfreton School and Sixth Form College | East Riding of Yorkshire | 11 | 37 | 30% |
| 40 | Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School | Kent | 44 | 152 | 29% |
What pupils learn in Geography, stage by stage
England has no national year-by-year syllabus: exam boards and schools set the order within each stage. These are the statutory blocks from the Department for Education, so a parent can see what a child meets in Years 7–9, what every GCSE candidate must cover, and what waits in the sixth form.
Years 7–9Key Stage 3
20learning outcomes · National Curriculum, taught in every maintained schoolYears 10–11GCSE
56learning outcomes · statutory GCSE subject content; Higher-tier-only outcomes are markedYear 12A level, typically first year
2learning outcomes · content also examined at ASYear 13A level, second year
62learning outcomes · A level-only contentWhat Key Stage 3 Geography teaches · Years 7–9
20 learning outcomes from the Department for Education’s statutory subject content, grouped by topic. Each outcome belongs to one of twelve fields of knowledge used across startfrom.today: Social & Cultural Skills (6), Mathematics & Statistics (5), Natural Sciences (4), Green & Sustainability (4) and others. Exam boards add detail on top of these; the outcomes themselves are the same whichever board a school uses.
Locational knowledge3
- locate the world's major countries and regions on a world map — region, world map
- describe the environmental regions of Africa, Russia, Asia and the Middle East — environmental region, hot desert, polar region
- describe key physical and human characteristics, countries and cities of a region — human characteristic, major city, physical characteristic
Place knowledge1
- compare the human and physical geography of a region in Africa and a region in Asia — place comparison, regional geography
Human and physical geography10
- explain plate tectonics and geological timescales — geological timescale, plate tectonics
- explain the formation of rocks through weathering and soil processes — rock, soil formation, weathering
- explain changes in weather and climate from the Ice Age to the present — climate change, ice age
- describe processes of glaciation, hydrology and coasts — coastal process, glaciation, hydrology
- explain processes of population change and urbanisation — population change, urbanisation
- explain patterns of international development — international development
- describe economic activity in the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors — primary sector, secondary sector, tertiary and quaternary sector
- explain the use of natural resources by human economic activity — economic activity, natural resource
- explain how human and physical processes interact to change landscapes and environments — human-physical interaction, landscape change
- explain how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systems — natural system, sustainability
Geographical skills and fieldwork6
- use globes, maps and atlases to analyse geographical information — atlas, globe, map
- interpret Ordnance Survey maps using grid references and scale — grid reference, ordnance survey map, scale
- interpret aerial and satellite photographs — aerial photograph, satellite photograph
- use Geographical Information Systems to analyse and interpret spatial data — gis, spatial data
- collect geographical data through fieldwork in contrasting locations — data collection, fieldwork
- analyse and draw conclusions from fieldwork data using multiple sources — data analysis, fieldwork data
Source: DfE National Curriculum in England, Open Government Licence v3.0. Outcomes are split into single actions and rewritten only where the original bundled several; wording otherwise follows the DfE text. Methodology.
What GCSE Geography teaches · Years 10–11
56 learning outcomes from the Department for Education’s statutory subject content, grouped by topic. Each outcome belongs to one of twelve fields of knowledge used across startfrom.today: Mathematics & Statistics (21), Social & Cultural Skills (12), Natural Sciences (12), Green & Sustainability (9) and others. Exam boards add detail on top of these; the outcomes themselves are the same whichever board a school uses.
Locational knowledge3
- describe spatial, cultural and political contexts of different countries — cultural context, political context, spatial context
- identify links and interrelationships between places at different scales — interrelationship, place, scale
- apply contextual knowledge of at least two countries other than the UK — case study, contextual knowledge, country
Maps4
- use a range of maps and satellite imagery to obtain geographical information — atlas, map, satellite imagery
- use Geographical Information Systems to illustrate and analyse data — analysis, gis, spatial data
- construct maps and sketches to present geographical information — cartographic representation, sketch map
- evaluate geographical information presented on maps — geographical information, map evaluation
Fieldwork3
- carry out fieldwork in two contrasting environments — contrasting environment, fieldwork
- collect primary physical and human data during fieldwork — human process, physical process, primary data
- investigate interactions between physical and human processes in the field — human process, interaction, physical process
Use of data3
- collect qualitative and quantitative data from primary and secondary sources — primary source, qualitative data, quantitative data, secondary source
- apply quantitative and statistical techniques to interpret data — data interpretation, statistical technique
- evaluate geographical data and its presentation — data evaluation, presentation
Formulating enquiry and argument3
- identify questions and sequences of geographical enquiry — enquiry, geographical question
- develop an extended written argument about a geographical issue — geographical issue, written argument
- draw well-evidenced conclusions about geographical questions — conclusion, evidence, geographical question
Place: processes and relationships3
- describe the physical and human landscapes of the UK — human landscape, physical landscape, uk geography
- explain environmental challenges and economic change in the UK — changing economy, environmental challenge
- summarise significant geographical features and issues of the UK — geographical feature, uk
Physical geography: processes and change4
- explain how geomorphic processes have shaped UK landscapes — geology, geomorphic process, landscape
- analyse two distinctive physical landscapes in the UK — physical landscape, uk
- explain the causes and consequences of extreme weather hazards — atmospheric circulation, extreme weather, natural hazard
- evaluate evidence for the causes of climatic change — climatic change, evidence, human activity
People and environment: processes and interactions6
- describe the distribution and characteristics of global ecosystems — biodiversity, global ecosystem
- explain the interdependence of climate, soil and organisms in an ecosystem — ecosystem, interdependence, sustainability
- evaluate issues of sustainable use and management of an ecosystem — ecosystem management, sustainability
- explain how humans modify ecosystems to obtain resources — ecosystem modification, resource
- analyse changing demand and supply of a resource — resource demand, resource supply
- evaluate issues of sustainable resource management — resource management, sustainability
Human geography: processes and change6
- explain the causes and effects of rapid urbanisation — urbanisation, urban trend
- compare contemporary challenges in two contrasting cities — city, economic development, social development
- explain the impacts of migration on urban growth — migration, urban character, urban growth
- explain the causes and consequences of uneven global development — global economy, uneven development
- examine the political, social and environmental context of a developing country — developing country, political context, social context
- describe characteristics of international trade and aid — aid, geo-political relationship, international trade
Assessment of fieldwork6
- identify questions capable of being investigated through fieldwork — fieldwork enquiry, geographical question
- describe techniques and methods used in fieldwork — fieldwork method, measurement, observation
- present fieldwork data using maps, graphs and diagrams — diagram, fieldwork data, graph
- analyse fieldwork data using geographical case studies and theories — case study, fieldwork data, geographical theory
- draw evidenced conclusions from fieldwork data — conclusion, fieldwork data
- reflect critically on fieldwork methods and conclusions — conclusion, fieldwork method, reflection
Cartographic skills4
- interpret gradient, contour and spot height on OS maps — contour, gradient, os map
- interpret cross sections and transects — cross section, transect
- use coordinates, scale and distance on maps — coordinate, distance, scale
- interpret geo-spatial data presented in a GIS framework — geo-spatial data, gis
Graphical skills3
- construct appropriate graphs and charts to present data — bar chart, histogram, pie chart
- interpret information from different types of graphs and charts — chart, data, graph
- interpret population pyramids, choropleth maps and flow-line maps — choropleth map, flow-line map, population pyramid
Numerical skills4
- calculate quantitative relationships between units of area and scale — area, scale, unit
- design a fieldwork data collection sheet with reliable sampling — data collection, reliability, sample size
- calculate proportion, ratio and magnitude using logarithmic scales — logarithmic scale, proportion, ratio
- draw informed conclusions from numerical data — conclusion, numerical data
Statistical skills4
- calculate measures of central tendency and spread — mean, median, mode, range
- calculate percentage increase, decrease and percentiles — percentage change, percentile
- describe relationships in bivariate data using scatter plots — bivariate data, scatter plot, trend line
- identify weaknesses in selective statistical presentation of data — bias, statistical presentation
Source: DfE GCSE geography subject content (2014), Open Government Licence v3.0. Outcomes are split into single actions and rewritten only where the original bundled several; wording otherwise follows the DfE text. Methodology.
What A level Geography teaches · Years 12–13
64 learning outcomes from the Department for Education’s statutory subject content, grouped by topic. Each outcome belongs to one of twelve fields of knowledge used across startfrom.today: Natural Sciences (26), Social & Cultural Skills (18), Mathematics & Statistics (6), Law & Public Administration (5) and others. Exam boards add detail on top of these; the outcomes themselves are the same whichever board a school uses.
Water and carbon cycles7
- apply a systems framework to explain the integration of land, ocean and atmosphereYear 13 — systems framework
- apply quantitative skills such as mass balance and unit conversions to cycle dataYear 13 — mass balance, unit conversion
- explain the distribution and size of major carbon stores and drivers of changeYear 13 — carbon flux, carbon stores
- explain the processes that cycle carbon between land, oceans and atmosphereYear 13 — carbon sequestration, photosynthesis, respiration, weathering
- explain the distribution and size of major water stores and drivers of changeYear 13 — cryosphere, water stores
- explain the processes that cycle water between land, ocean, atmosphere and cryosphereYear 13 — evaporation, groundwater, precipitation, runoff
- explain the feedbacks linking the carbon and water cycles through climateYear 13 — climate feedback, systems linkage
Landscape systems8
- study one landscape system chosen from drylands, coastal or glaciated landscapesYear 13 — coastal landscapes, drylands, glaciated landscapes
- apply a systems framework to explain energy transfers and material movements in landscapesYear 13 — energy transfer, systems framework
- apply quantitative skills such as measurement and geospatial mapping to landscape dataYear 13 — geospatial mapping, measurement, statistical analysis
- explain how flows of energy and materials create landforms within a landscape systemYear 13 — energy flow, landform
- explain how landforms interact to form characteristic landscapesYear 13 — landscape evolution
- describe physical processes and patterns across a range of spatial and temporal scalesYear 13 — spatial scale, temporal scale
- explain how landscapes evolve in response to past, present and future climate changeYear 13 — climate change, landscape evolution
- assess the impact of human activity on landscape systemsYear 13 — human impact, landscape change
Global systems and global governance8
- investigate one global systems topic chosen from trade, human development or migrationYear 13 — human development, international trade, migration
- investigate a global governance topic such as global commons or sovereigntyYear 13 — global commons, human rights, sovereignty
- explain economic, political, social and environmental interdependenceYear 13 — globalisation, interdependence
- evaluate how unequal global flows create both development and inequalityYear 13 — global flows, inequality
- explain how unequal power relations shape state influence over global systemsYear 13 — geopolitics, power relations
- analyse the role of global institutions and laws in regulating global systemsYear 13 — global institutions, international law
- evaluate the impact of global governance institutions such as the United NationsYear 13 — global governance, united nations
- explain how governance interacts across local to global scalesYear 13 — multi-level governance, scale
Changing place; changing places10
- investigate relationships and connections between a local and contrasting placeYear 13 — connections, locality, place
- investigate one aspect of place impact such as demographic or economic changeYear 13 — demographic change, economic change, food production
- investigate one aspect of place meaning and representationYear 13 — lived experience, place marketing, representation
- explain how flows of people, money and ideas shape the characteristics of placesYear 13 — migration, place characteristics
- explain how past and present connections embed places within wider scalesYear 13 — place connections, scale
- assess the impact of external forces such as government policy on placesYear 13 — government policy, multinational corporations
- explain how people form attachments to and represent placesYear 13 — identity, place attachment
- evaluate how external agencies shape place meaningsYear 13 — place marketing, place meaning
- compare how different media represent places in contrasting waysYear 13 — media representation
- explain how past development processes influence present-day place meaningsYear 13 — development, place meaning
Geographical skills15
- identify different types of geographical informationYear 13 — big data, qualitative data, quantitative data
- collect geographical information from primary and secondary sourcesYear 13 — primary data, secondary data
- analyse geographical information using suitable analytical approachesYear 13 — data analysis
- evaluate geographical data sources and methodologies for errors and misuseYear 13 — bias, data quality
- communicate geographical findings through extended written argumentYear 13 — written argument
- draw well-evidenced conclusions from geographical theory and evidenceYear 13 — evidence-based conclusion
- conduct qualitative research methods such as interviewsYear 13 — interview, qualitative method
- evaluate textual and visual source material for geographical enquiryYear 13 — source evaluation
- explain the opportunities and limitations of qualitative techniquesYear 13 — coding, sampling
- explain the ethical implications of researching human communitiesYear 13 — research ethics
- explain how geospatial technologies such as GIS are used to analyse geographical dataYear 13 — geospatial data, gis
- collect and analyse digital geo-located dataYear 13 — geo-located data
- apply descriptive statistics of central tendency and dispersion to geographical dataYear 13 — dispersion, mean, median
- apply statistical measures of correlation and lines of best fit to geographical dataYear 13 — correlation, line of best fit
- apply sampling methods and account for measurement errorYear 13 — measurement error, sampling
Fieldwork16
- undertake a minimum of two days of fieldworkYear 12 · AS — fieldwork
- undertake a minimum of four days of fieldworkYear 13 — fieldwork
- identify field research questions based on physical and human geographyYear 12 · AS — research question
- define independent field research questions for an investigationYear 13 — independence, research question
- research relevant literature to establish the context for a field investigationYear 13 — literature review
- devise and justify practical approaches to observing and recording phenomena in the fieldYear 13 — data collection, observation, sampling
- apply field methodologies appropriate to investigating physical and human processesYear 13 — field methodology
- implement chosen field methodologies to collect data of good qualityYear 13 — data collection
- select and apply suitable quantitative or qualitative techniques to analyse field dataYear 13 — data analysis technique
- evaluate the accuracy and representativeness of field dataYear 13 — data accuracy, representativeness
- apply existing theory and concepts to interpret field observationsYear 13 — theory application
- write a coherent analysis of fieldwork findings to answer a geographical questionYear 13 — fieldwork analysis
- evaluate and reflect on a fieldwork investigation including its ethical dimensionsYear 13 — reflection, research ethics
- carry out an independent investigation based on fieldworkYear 13 — independent investigation, primary data, secondary data
- analyse and summarise findings from an independent fieldwork investigationYear 13 — data summary
- present independent investigation conclusions through extended writingYear 13 — data presentation
Source: DfE GCE AS and A level subject content for geography (2014), Open Government Licence v3.0. Outcomes are split into single actions and rewritten only where the original bundled several; wording otherwise follows the DfE text. Methodology.