DCF Cymru Digital competence for Wales

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GCSE Geography

Geography asks learners to interpret GIS data, find and judge secondary data, process and present data in graphs and maps, reference their sources, research an issue independently, and submit both NEA units digitally. The spec does not force software use, but spreadsheets and GIS make this work far easier and 40% of the grade is NEA. The biggest thing KS3 should build is confident handling of real data sets in Excel, from collection form to graph to written conclusion.

Awarding body
WJEC
Level
Level 1 and Level 2
First taught
September 2025
Amount of digital work
High
Specification
Open the specification
How this qualification is assessed
  • Unit 1: Our Physical and Human World: Written examination 1 hour 30 minutes, 30%
  • Unit 2: Developing Fieldwork Skills: Non-examination assessment 7 hours (not including the fieldwork), 25%, set and marked by WJEC
  • Unit 3: Our Dynamic and Diverse World: Written examination 1 hour 30 minutes, 30%
  • Unit 4: Sustainable Solutions: Non-examination assessment 6 hours (3 hours research, 3 hours tasks), 15%, set by WJEC, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC

Skills that use Digital rights, licensing and ownership

  1. Referencing secondary sources

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Learners must reference all secondary data with citations and a bibliography or resource list, and referencing is also a named decision making skill in Unit 4.

    DCF: Digital rights, licensing and ownership, Sourcing, searching and planning digital content, Evaluating and improving digital content, Creating digital content

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils add a simple resource list to a country fact file, recording the website name, page title and date visited for each source.
    Year 8
    Pupils use the References tool in Word to cite the websites and maps used in a report on a Welsh national park.
    Year 9
    Pupils reference every secondary data set and image in a fieldwork write up in one consistent style and label each graph with its data source.
    Show the specification wording and the DCF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit 2, Section 2.3.3, page 21; Unit 4, Section 4.2.1, page 34

    “accurately reference all sources of secondary data by citing sources, using a bibliography/resource list.”
    Progression step 3

    • I can cite sources when researching and explain the importance of this, e.g. create simple lists for the referencing of digital and offline sources.

    • I can begin to reference sources used in my work, and consider if content is reliable.

    Progression step 4

    • I can evaluate the reliability of sources of information, justify my opinions and reasons for choices, and reference using appropriate methods.

    • I can understand copyright and can explain the legal and ethical dimensions of respecting creative work, e.g. exploring the ethical and legal ramifications of piracy and plagiarism and know that they are irresponsible and disrespectful, and I can apply my understanding of the rules and regulations to different scenarios.

    Progression step 5

    • I can refer appropriately to sources of information used in my digital work.

    • I can understand individuals' rights and responsibilities as creators and consumers of content, and I can think critically and make ethical decisions about the use of creative works in relation to fair use and reference using formal citation conventions, e.g. Harvard and Oxford.

    • I can use appropriate indexing and referencing tools to enhance documents.

Good to know

Links with other qualifications

Data processing and graph work overlaps with Mathematics and Numeracy, and source evaluation and referencing overlap with History.

Source: WJEC GCSE Geography specification, Teaching from 2025, For award from 2027, Version 6, September 2026.