The "Sprint" Section

• Format: You are given 12 short questions.

• Requirement: You must answer 10. If you answer all 12, I will mark them all and count only your best 10.

• Marks per Question: 10 Marks each (10 X 10 = 100).

• Content:

  • Image/Map Interpretation: heavy focus on Ordnance Survey (OS) maps, aerial photos, and weather charts.

  • Core Knowledge: Quick-fire questions on rock types, river features, census data, and region definitions.

Examiner's Tip: Do not leave blanks. Ordinary Level short questions often have multiple choice or matching exercises. A guess has a 25% chance of being right; a blank has 0%.

The "Marathon" Section

You are presented with questions divided into three sections. You must answer THREE full questions in total.

The Selection Rule:

1. One Question from Section 1 (Physical).

2. One Question from Section 2 (Regional).

3. One Question from Section 3 (Electives) OR a second question from Section 1 or 2.

Each question is worth 100 marks and typically takes 40 minutes to complete.

Section 1: Patterns & Processes in the Physical Environment

• Topics: Plate Tectonics, Rocks, Weathering, Mass Movement, Rivers, Sea, Glaciation.

• Structure: Usually divided into Part A (Skill/Short), Part B (Paragraph answer), and Part C (Paragraph answer).

2025 Trend: Be aware of "Composite Questions." I am now asking for information on multiple physical topics within a single 100-mark question (e.g., Q1A might be Mapwork, Q1B Mass Movement, Q1C Rocks).

Section 2: Regional Geography

• Topics: Regions of Ireland, European Regions, Continental/Sub-Continental Regions, and "Concepts of a Region."

• The Anchor: The topic "Concepts of a Region" (Cultural, Climatic, Administrative regions) appears almost every year.

Examiner's Tip: When discussing a region (e.g., the Mezzogiorno or the West of Ireland), you must use specific headings: Climate, Relief, Soils, Markets, Transport. If you write a generic essay without these structural "pegs," you will lose marks.

Section 3: Electives (Economic & Human)

• Topics:

  • Patterns & Processes in Economic Activity: MNCs, Energy, Developing Economies, European Union.

  • Patterns & Processes in the Human Environment: Population, Urban Growth, Migration.

Skill Bleed: As seen in the 2023 and 2025 papers, I will often ask you to apply a skill here. For example, "Examine the Aerial Photograph and explain the land use in the city."

An analysis of the last 6 exam papers, identifies consistent patterns in topic distribution.

• Physical Geography is now a "Mix-and-Match": You can no longer predict that Question 1 will just be "Volcanoes" or "Rivers." In 2024 and 2025, Section 1 questions became "composite," meaning a single question now requires you to answer small parts on 4–5 different topics (e.g., Mass Movement, The Sea, Rocks, and Glaciation all in one go). You must be agile and ready to switch topics quickly.

• Skills have migrated: Skills like reading OS Maps, Aerial Photos, and Graphs are no longer just for the Short Questions. They now appear heavily in Section 3 (Electives). You will likely be asked to "use the map/photo provided" to explain settlement or economic activities.

The "Regional" Anchor: The topic "Concepts of a Region" is statistically the safest bet on the paper. It appears almost every year in both Short Questions and Section 2. Mastering this single topic guarantees you access to marks in multiple parts of the exam

Follow this structured approach to cover the syllabus efficiently.

Phase 1: The Foundation & Field Study (September – October)

Goal: Secure the "Banked Marks" (Field Study) and master the basics of the Earth.

• The Field Study (20%):

  • This is the priority. Complete your field trip and write up your Reporting Booklet.

  • Focus: Ensure you have 4 clear results and 2 conclusions. This is the easiest 20% you will get.

• Physical Geography (The Earth):

  • Plate Tectonics: Volcanoes & Earthquakes. Must Know: One active volcano (e.g., Etna) and how it affects people (positive and negative).

  • Rocks: Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic. Must Know: One Irish location for each (e.g., Granite = Wicklow).

• Skill Focus:

  • Grid References: Master 4-figure and 6-figure grid references immediately. You need these for every section of the exam.

Phase 2: The "Composite" Physical Block (November – December)

Goal: Build "Topic Agility" for Question 1. Do not study these in isolation; link them by process.

• The "Shaping Forces":

  • Rivers & Glaciers: Study them together. Compare Erosion (V-shaped valley vs. U-shaped valley) and Deposition.

  • The Sea: Erosion features (Cliffs) vs. Deposition features (Beaches).

• Mass Movement:

  • Link this to weathering. Understand the difference between Slow (Soil Creep) and Fast (Bogburst) movements.

• Skill Focus:

• Sketch Maps: Practice drawing a frame proportional to the OS map. You must be able to sketch a coastline or river course and insert it into a frame to get the 30 marks available in Q1.

Phase 3: The "Regional Anchor" (January – February)

Goal: Master Section 2. This is the most predictable part of the exam.

• The "Guarantee" Topic:

  • Concepts of a Region: Learn the definitions of Climatic, Geomorphological, Administrative, and Cultural regions. This comes up almost every year.

• Detailed Regions:

  • One Irish Region: (e.g., The West of Ireland or Greater Dublin).

  • One European Region: (e.g., The Mezzogiorno or Paris Basin).

  • The "Headings" Rule: For every region, you must be able to write a paragraph on: Climate, Relief, Soils, Transport, Tourism, and Manufacturing.

• Skill Focus:

Drawing Regional Maps: You must be able to draw a sketch map of Ireland or Europe and shade in your studied region.

Phase 4: Electives & Human Systems (March – April)

Goal: Tackle Section 3 and integrate the "Skills Bleed."

• Elective (Economic Activity):

  • MNCs: Why do they come to Ireland? (Tax, educated workforce, EU access).

  • The EU: Benefits of membership (Market access, funding).

• Human Geography:

  • Urban Problems: Traffic and Urban Sprawl (Dublin is your best case study).

  • Migration: Push and Pull factors.

• Skill Focus:

  • Aerial Photographs: Learn to identify land use (commercial vs. residential) from photos.

• Graphs: Practice drawing Bar Charts and Pie Charts. Remember the "Label Rule": No label on axes = marks lost.

Phase 5: The "Examiner's Review" (May)

Goal: Speed and Precision.

• The "Composite" Drill:

  • Practice answering Section 1 questions that mix topics (e.g., a question asking about Rocks and Rivers).

• SRP Counting:

  • Review your long answers. Highlight your SRPs (Significant Relevant Points). Do you have 10 highlights in a 30-mark answer? If not, add more detail.

• Timed Practice:

  • Sit one full past paper (or at least 3 questions) in strictly timed conditions (40 mins per question).