AQA GCSE Geography Exam Short - Sustainable Urban Environments Urban Issues and Challenges - 9-Mark Question - Mark Scheme

Sep 5, 2026

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Question and mark scheme materials for an AQA GCSE Geography short exam on sustainable urban environments, focusing on whether creating green spaces is the most important aspect of sustainability. The document specifies assessment objectives (AO1/AO2/AO3) and provides guidance on evaluating the relative importance of green spaces versus other sustainable design measures. It includes level descriptors for 0–3 marks through detailed responses, emphasizing knowledge, geographical understanding, evidence-supported evaluation, and examples such as pollution filtering, flood risk reduction, wildlife habitat, and leisure or health benefits.

LanguageEnglish

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Sustainable urban environments

9-mark question

Mark scheme and assessment objectives (AO1, AO2, AO3)

Level and mark range criteria

AQA GSCE GEOGRAPHY EXAM SHORT | Sustainable urban environments
Urban issues and challenges | | | --- | --- | | 9-MARK QUESTION | | ‘The creation of green spaces is the most important aspect of sustainable urban environments.’ Do you agree with this statement? [9 marks] AQA GSCE GEOGRAPHY EXAM SHORT | Sustainable urban environments
Urban issues and challenges | | | --- | --- | | MARK SCHEME | | ‘The creation of green spaces is the most important aspect of sustainable urban environments.’ Do you agree with this statement? [9 marks] Marks for this question: AO1 = 3, AO2 = 3, AO3 = 3 Notes for answers • The focus of the question is to evaluate how much more significant green spaces are over other forms of sustainable urban design, eg. Fully agree, disagree, partially agree. • Can refer to examples to support their points if they wish. • Many may feel that strategies to reduce energy consumption, waste and traffic issues are more important – but students need to think about their relative importance, supported by evidence. • Discussion about urban greening can focus on the issue of homes being built without gardens, therefore families will want green spaces close by for their children to play. • Urban greening is important in terms of access to leisure spaces – for exercising and mental wellbeing. • Creation of green space reduces the risk of flooding as they allow more infiltration – rather than surfaces being covered in impermeable concrete and tarmac. Tree planting also increases interception. • Trees and plants also filter out pollutants from the air – eg. green walls built in school playgrounds to stop exposure to traffic fumes. • Other benefits – helps create/maintain urban wildlife habitats, visually pleasing, and absorbs noise (eg. trees planted along the side of dual carriageways to screen homes from the sight and noise of the road) . • Need to discuss other important aspects of sustainable urban design, such as access to public transport/cycle path networks to reduce car ownership; energy efficient homes – use of renewable energy sources, water recycling, south-facing windows, insulation, etc. • Students need to evaluate the importance of green spaces within sustainable urban design – think about how the covid pandemic taught us of the importance in terms of health. | LEVEL/ MARK RANGE | CRITERIA/DESCRIPTOR | | --- | --- | | Level 3
(7-9 marks)
DETAILED | • Demonstrates detailed knowledge of the factors which are part of sustainable urban environments (AO1)
• Shows thorough geographical understanding of places, environments and processes (AO2)
• Demonstrates thorough application of knowledge and understanding in evaluating the importance of green spaces as part of sustainable urban planning (AO3) | | Level 2
(4-6 marks)
CLEAR | • Demonstrates clear knowledge of the factors which are part of sustainable urban transport environments (AO1)
• Shows some geographical understanding of places, environments and processes
(AO2)
• Demonstrates reasonable application of knowledge and understanding in evaluating the importance of green spaces as part of sustainable urban planning (AO3) | | Level 1
(1-3 marks)
BASIC | • Demonstrates limited knowledge of the factors which are part of sustainable urban transport environments (AO1)
• Shows slight geographical understanding of places, environments and processes
(AO2)
• Demonstrates limited application of knowledge and understanding in evaluating the importance of green spaces as part of sustainable urban planning (AO3) | | Level 0
(no marks) | • No relevant content/nothing worthy of credit. | AQA GSCE GEOGRAPHY EXAM SHORT | Sustainable urban environments
Urban issues and challenges | | | --- | --- | | Exemplar answer | | ‘The creation of green spaces is the most important aspect of sustainable urban environments.’ Do you agree with this statement? [9 marks] I partially agree wi

FAQs

What is the focus of the 9-mark question on sustainable urban environments?

Students must evaluate the statement that creating green spaces is the most important aspect of sustainable urban environments. Responses should weigh green spaces against other sustainable urban design factors.

How are marks awarded in the mark scheme (AO breakdown)?

The question uses AO1, AO2, and AO3 with an equal allocation: AO1 = 3, AO2 = 3, AO3 = 3, supported by notes on how to evaluate significance using evidence and examples.

What should a top-level (Level 3, 7–9 marks) answer demonstrate?

A Level 3 response should show detailed knowledge of factors in sustainable urban environments (AO1), thorough geographical understanding (AO2), and thorough evaluation of the importance of green spaces in sustainable planning using knowledge, understanding, and evidence (AO3).

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Aditya