GEOGRAPHY-A-GEOGRAPHICAL-THEMES-J383 · Cambridge OCR GCSE (9–1)
GEOGRAPHY-A-GEOGRAPHICAL-THEMES-J383/21
Paper 2
Geography A Geographical Themes · June 2023 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: OCR
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.0 / 5
200
210 min
Geographical Skills and Fieldwork
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
200
Duration
210 min
Session difficulty
3.0 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
A highly comprehensive series of three papers assessing Living in the UK Today, The World Around Us, and Geographical Skills.
The exams balanced basic recall and resource completion with high-tariff evaluative case studies, requiring detailed place-specific information and precise geomorphic/socio-economic vocabulary.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Fieldwork Methodology
Weight: 8100%Evaluative Essay Writing Writing
Weight: 675%Calculations
Weight: 450%Cartographic & GI
Weight: 338%Conceptual Explanation
Weight: 225%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
Level 9
Approx. 77% of maximum mark
Level 8
Approx. 69% of maximum mark
Level 7
Approx. 60% of maximum mark
Level 6
Approx. 52% of maximum mark
Level 5
Approx. 44% of maximum mark
Level 4
Approx. 36% of maximum mark
Level 3
Approx. 26% of maximum mark
Level 2
Approx. 15% of maximum mark
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Apply knowledge to an unfamiliar context; concise, practical points score best.
State features in sequence or list observable properties — do not explain causes unless asked.
Show formula, substitution, and unit; method marks need visible working.
Match the expected response style for “State” questions.
Name or point to the specific feature asked for — avoid extra explanation.
Match the expected response style for “extent” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Assess” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 1
Min per mark: 1
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Landscapes of the UK
23 marks this session
People of the Planet
21 marks this session
Environmental threats to our Planet
21 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Landscapes of the UK
People of the Planet
Geographical Skills & Synoptic Themes
Geographical Fieldwork
People of the UK
Environmental threats to our Planet
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Paper 1: Living in the UK Today:
Paper 2: The World Around Us:
Paper 3: Geographical Skills:
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Landscapes of the UK
23 marks this session
Practise in RevuiPeople of the Planet
21 marks this session
Practise in RevuiEnvironmental threats to our Planet
21 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
A highly comprehensive series of three papers assessing Living in the UK Today, The World Around Us, and Geographical Skills.
- 2Message
The exams balanced basic recall and resource completion with high-tariff evaluative case studies, requiring detailed place-specific information and precise geomorphic/socio-economic vocabulary.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2023 2023
Geography A Geographical Themes
A highly comprehensive series of three papers assessing Living in the UK Today, The World Around Us, and Geographical Skills. The exams balanced basic recall and resource completion with high-tariff evaluative case studies, requiring detailed place-specific information and precis
A highly comprehensive series of three papers assessing Living in the UK Today, The World Around Us, and Geographical Skills.
The exams balanced basic recall and resource completion with high-tariff evaluative case studies, requiring detailed place-specific information and precise geomorphic/socio-economic vocabulary.
- Total marks
- 200
- Duration
- 210 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.0 / 5
Session analysis
A highly comprehensive series of three papers assessing Living in the UK Today, The World Around Us, and Geographical Skills. The exams balanced basic recall and resource completion with high-tariff evaluative case studies, requiring detailed place-specific information and precise geomorphic/socio-economic vocabulary.
Updated Jun 14, 2026
Paper breakdown
Paper 1: Living in the UK Today:
Paper 2: The World Around Us:
Paper 3: Geographical Skills:
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
68% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
Short Answer
(2-4 marks)
85·31·43%
Extended Essay
(8-12 marks)
64·6·32%
Medium Structured
(6 marks)
30·5·15%
Multiple Choice / Graph completion
21·18·11%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Difficulty trend
Compare difficulty across recent years.
Time vs marks
Compare marks with suggested time allocation to plan exam pacing.
Paper 1 (Living in
1.00 m/minPaper 2 (The World
1.00 m/minTotal marks
120
Total time
120 min
Avg pace
1.00
Cumulative marks ladder
The line is your running mark total question by question; dashed lines are the estimated grade cut-offs. See which question the line crosses your target grade at, so you know how far you must answer cleanly and which questions decide a band.
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Rivers and Glacial Landscapes of the UK
5%5%
LIDC or EDC International Trade and Aid
5%5%
UK Environmental Challenges: Water Stress and Flooding
4%4%
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.