Autumn 2026 Geography subject update
Welcome to our autumn 2026 newsletter
A message from our new Subject Lead
Welcome back to the new school year.
I hope that the new term has started well for you, your colleagues and your learners.
I’m delighted to introduce myself as your Subject Lead for Geography. Having taught for over 30 years in a range of school settings, I’m ready to support the geography community, ensuring you’ll have access to the best support, resources and guidance for your students.
For most of my career I’ve been a Head of Geography alongside being an Educational Visits Coordinator; but I've also published resources, worked with ITT cohorts, delivered CPD and have examining experience. I'm dedicated to accessible fieldwork, nurturing student engagement and curiosity and I have a strong interest in pedagogy and how we can make geography teaching engaging, inclusive and effective for all.
I'm delighted to join AQA's Subject Support team and we aim to work alongside you, whether you’re an experienced Head of Geography or new to teaching the subject. We want to ensure that you have access to practical, high-quality support that helps reduce workload, builds confidence and ultimately enables your learners to thrive.
I know the geography community is a fantastic and collaborative one and I firmly believe that the best ideas are developed through working together. We look forward to working with you, sharing good practice and supporting you throughout the year. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions, ideas or would simply like to discuss anything geography.
I wish you every success for the year ahead and I look forward to working with you.
Suzanne Thorne
Subject Lead for Geography
Quick links
In this update you'll find the latest news on our GCSE and A-level Geography qualifications, including:
- Assessment Reform: DfE consultation
- myNetwork: Upcoming webinars and community news
- myResources: Key resources for this term
- myTraining: New training for the term ahead
- mySupport: Help and guidance
If any members of your team would like to receive subject-specific updates, they can easily sign up for AQA subject updates , so they’re always informed and part of our community.
Stay up to date with assessment reform
This autumn, the Department for Education (DfE) is expected to launch its subject content consultation, confirming which subjects will be included in each phase, sharing proposals for phase 1 and inviting teachers, schools and exam boards to give feedback.
There’s nothing you need to do right now. Once the consultation launches, we’ll help you understand what it means and how to have your say.
In the meantime, catch up on our subject webinars to understand what the Curriculum and Assessment Review means for your subject.
You can also join our Teacher Panel to share your views and help shape what comes next.
Help shape the future of digital assessment
We’d like to hear about your experiences of digital teaching, learning and assessment through a short survey.
By sharing your experiences, you’ll help us shape the guidance, resources and support teachers need as digital assessment continues to evolve.
The survey contains 24 questions, takes around 12 minutes to complete and closes on 1 November 2026. As a thank you, participants who complete the survey can enter a prize draw for the chance to win one of four £50 gift vouchers.
Curriculum connect
This September, join our community of teachers for our Exploring 2026 Curriculum Connects. These free webinars are a chance to connect with fellow geographers to discuss:
- an overview of grade boundaries and national performance
- feedback from our Chief and Lead Examiners
- best practice to tackle the areas for development
- upcoming professional development and useful resources.
Subject spotlight
Later this term, our subject experts will be hosting a series of webinars exploring geography and careers, climate change and other key topics. Keep an eye on our professional development page for more details and booking information.
Community links
Explore useful community links and resources to support curriculum planning, fieldwork and classroom practice throughout the year.
Geographical Association (GA)
If you're looking for Curriculum Support, the GA has information and guidance for teachers and geography subject leaders on classroom practice, curriculum planning, assessment and fieldwork.
Royal Geographical Society (RGS)
Bring fieldwork to life with a range of resources from the RGS:
Discover the World Education:
We’ve partnered with Discover the World to launch our Bangladesh and Dhaka resource pack.
Teaching and learning resources:
Field Studies Council: Explore fieldwork resources
Ordnance Survey: Discover Ordnance Survey teaching resources
Results analysis and planning
Data Insights: dig deeper into your exam results and see how your school, subject, class and individual students have performed.
Examiners Reports: Log in to myAQA > Select Centre Services > Select Resources > Choose Assessment and training > Select Geography > Tick Reports on the exam.
A-level
- Specification (Geography 7037)
- A-level schemes of work
- A-level past papers and mark schemes
- Teaching guide: Skills in geography
- Teaching guide: Fieldwork
- Teaching guide NEA
- NEA examples
- NEA: Artificial intelligence guidance
- Teacher online standardisation (T-OLS): a self-paced online course to learn how to apply the NEA mark scheme and enhance the accuracy and consistency of your marking.
Get more with MyAQA
myAQA gives you access to everything you need to plan, teach and assess, including our secure extranet – Centre Services. Here you’ll find essential resources, such as the latest past papers, as well as Teacher Online Standardisation (T-OLS) and much more.
Don’t have a myAQA account yet? Complete a short form to get started. Once your Exams Officer has verified your registration, then you’re ready to go.
Upcoming events
We’ve got a range of professional development available this term to help you feel confident delivering AQA Geography.
- September - Live mark scheme guidance courses: strengthen your understanding of assessment and marking, with guidance to support your teaching.
- October-December - Exploringseries: explore different question types and the key skills students need to succeed.
- e-Learning-Getting Started courses: get familiar with delivering our GCSE and A-level Geography specifications.
Transform your teaching through examining
Whether you're looking to enhance your CPD, gain a fresh perspective on assessment or bring new ideas and insights back to the classroom, examining can have a lasting impact on your teaching and career. By seeing real student responses from across the country and understanding how marks are gained and lost, you'll develop valuable insights that can help you prepare learners more effectively, while building your professional credibility and experience.
Apply to become an examiner today or join one of our free online taster events to discover what the role involves and hear from experienced examiners.
Student Advisory Group recruitment for 2026/27
Help your learners influence the future of exams
We’re looking for learners to join our Student Advisory Group for 2026/27. The group gives young people a direct opportunity to share their experiences and views on qualifications, assessments and the wider exam system. Their insights will help shape the future of the curriculum, qualifications and assessments for young people, as well as our work to offer new vocational qualifications.
If you know any learners who may be interested, please encourage them to apply – we’re looking for students who have taken AQA qualifications, though this is not essential, and they can be sitting general or vocational qualifications.
Applications open: Monday 7 September 2026
Applications close: 5.00pm on Monday 21 September 2026
Thank you for helping us raise awareness of this opportunity among your learners. For more information about the Student Advisory Group and details on how to apply, please visit our website.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) within assessments
Read the latest JCQ guidance on the use of AI in assessments in the AI in assessments: protecting the integrity of qualifications document. The guidance explains how AI can be used appropriately in assessments and outlines the requirements for reporting suspected misuse.
NEA advisers
For subjects with non-exam assessment, it’s likely you’ll have an NEA adviser. Advisers are experienced teachers and moderators who can provide guidance throughout the academic year on delivering NEA. Find out more about AQA NEA advisers.
Adviser contact details are available on Centre Services from mid-September, so please check back then, as their contact details may have changed from last year. If you don’t have an assigned adviser, please contact us.
Contact our team
Whatever your question, our Subject Support team is here to help.
Email: geography@aqa.org.uk
Call: 01483 477 791
Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm