Bridging the Gap: GCSE to A Level Geography

The transition to A Level can be challenging, especially if students didn't study some topics at GCSE. This independent 'knowledge-booster' will help students to "bridge the gap!"

Cross-referenced for ALL GCSE Specifications and ALL A Level Specifications

Student-led workbook for A Level geographers, introducing the core topics central to all specifications. A wide range of engaging activities and comprehension tasks to help students to:

  1. Consolidate and develop existing knowledge
  2. Gain confidence in new or unfamiliar topic areas, from fundamentals to technical terms

GCSE Teacher?

  • Great for G&T students towards the end of the GCSE to continue to push them
  • A fantastic parting gift to GCSE students going on to do A Level to use over the summer holidays!

A Level Teacher?

  • Identify your pupils' areas of weakness early using student self-diagnostic overviews
  • Prepare your students for the higher demands of A Level
    – for all students or just those looking for support in particular topic areas
Covers All Core Themes
  • Water and Carbon Cycles
  • Landscape systems
    • Drylands / Coasts / Glacial
  • Global Systems & Global Governance
  • Changing Place; Changing Places
Plus! The ever popular Tectonic Hazards!

Includes:

  • Self-diagnostic topic overviews
    • Assess existing knowledge and understanding from GCSE…
    • … and identify any 'gaps' in A Level subject content
  • Topic-by-topic Activity Chapters
    • Linked comprehension tasks to develop deeper understanding of topic content
    • Data and image interpretation to introduce key geographical patterns and processes
    • Statistical questioning to revise and build upon key areas of the Skills Checklist
  • Fieldwork Section
    • Bridging the gap from GCSE 1-day class trips to multi-day trips and extended individual research at A Level
  • Extended Writing Support
    • Transitioning from extended GCSE questions to the more challenging essays of A Level!

Perfect support for those students looking to catch up over (or after!) the long summer break!

What do teachers say about this resource? (10760)

Great resource. Has helped students to move on from GCSE with more confidence. The resources are very clear and accessible and unpack sometimes difficult &/abstract themes. The different topics are covered with a range of interesting tasks which students find engaging. The topic overview grids and RAG rating approach work well. It is all clear, concise, not too wordy, written in clear and accessible language. The activities help to provide a good introduction to the A Level course and to each of the topics covered. True to Zig Zag style - they are enjoyable, interesting and thought-provoking. Will save you time supporting students with their transition to A Level Geography, which can be a nerve-racking time at the start of Year 12.

J Powell, HoD & Peer Reviewer

I love the idea of this resource ... a really helpful and useful bridging resource to be used at the end of GCSE prior to the A Level course. It has a wide range of topics so is relevant to a range of GCSE specifications as well as A Level specifications ... I like the range of activities and the fact that there are a number of short questions so the booklet can be completed in bitesize chunks at the pace the student wants. There are a good range of question types and activities, there were some gap fills which were more accessible than some of the more challenging questions. I like the video links, particularly for the stats questions ... This resource is really useful to help with knowledge recall, as students end their GCSE course and have a long break from learning, this resource will help them to revisit and recall key topics that are vital to their A Level learning ... I really like the RAG task of the various GCSE Specs, as some students enter A Level courses from a range of GCSE backgrounds. It links closely to the core content at A level and is a good revision too prior to the A Level course ... A great resource, which meets the needs of schools with A Level cohorts coming from different schools

C Turner, HoD & Peer Reviewer

This is a resource that would be helpful for the transition from GCSE to A level, particularly an introduction to the depth of content and concepts at A level.

A wide variety of activities that would develop graphical and statistical skills in addition to understanding new concepts [students] would not have covered during GCSE.

The resource provides an introduction to the extensive content and concepts to be studied at A level. Pupils may have a better understanding of the expectations and be better prepared. For pupils taking A level Geography for the first time, this seems to be a useful resource.

A Adu-Boateng, Teacher & Peer Reviewer