Why study A-Level Geology? (Year 11)

Post-16 choices shouldn't be made on syllabus details alone. This lesson plan will help you to show Year 11 students whether A-Level Geology or another post-16 route fits them best, drawing on the jobs it leads to and the skills it builds.

This lesson is designed to be delivered in 30 minutes as a teacher-led classroom activity.

This activity supports the following frameworks:

  • Gatsby Benchmark 4

This activity is suitable for Year 11 and features careers linked to the following subjects:

  • Geology

This is one of three lesson plans designed for Year 11 Geology teachers:

These lesson plans will help you show students how Geology connects to their future careers.

We recommend using this lesson plan at the beginning of the spring term, as students approach their post-16 choices. It builds on the two earlier lesson plans and draws them together to help students make an informed decision. A-Level Geology is one post-16 route among several - this lesson plan helps students decide whether it's the right one for them, or whether Geology fits their future better through another route.

A-Level Geology doesn't require GCSE Geology, so this lesson is also useful for any Year 11 student considering it as a fresh start at sixth form or college - including students whose own school doesn't offer the subject.

Learning objectives

  • Students will understand what studying A-Level Geology involves.
  • Students will recognise how Geology fits different post-16 routes, not just A-Level.
  • Students will be able to say whether A-Level Geology is right for them and why.

Before the lesson

  • You will need a computer connected to the internet and a classroom screen.
  • Open the What can you do with Geology? page and have it ready on the screen.
  • Review the page in full so you know what's in each section.
  • Be ready to describe your school's A-Level Geology syllabus, including the fieldwork days. If your school doesn't offer it, be ready to point students at nearby sixth forms or colleges that do.

During the lesson

1. Recap: jobs and skills (5 mins)

  • Ask students to recall what they discussed in the earlier Year 11 lessons:
    • What jobs use Geology?
    • What skills does Geology build?
  • Write their answers on the board as a quick recap.

2. Walking through the page (15 mins)

  • Bring up the What can you do with Geology? page on the classroom screen.
  • Show students the table of contents so they see the shape of what's on the page.
  • Walk through the key sections together, unpacking why each one matters for their post-16 decisions:
    • Geology at A-Level - What the course covers and how it differs from GCSE.
    • Subjects that pair with Geology - Which other A-Level choices work well alongside it.
    • Where Geology can take you next - The range of routes after A-Level.
  • Briefly outline your school or college's A-Level syllabus, exam board, and assessment methods.

3. Is A-Level Geology right for you? (10 mins)

  • Ask students to think about whether A-Level Geology fits their post-16 plan.
  • Prompt them with questions:
    • If you took GCSE Geology, did you enjoy it enough to spend two more years on it? If you didn't take it, are you drawn to how the planet itself works - rocks, landscapes, tectonics, deep time?
    • Are you up for substantial fieldwork - several days out in the field across the course, mapping, recording, and writing up what you find?
    • Are you comfortable with the more quantitative side - reading data, applying models, and working with measurements?
    • Do the skills Geology builds matter for the career or route you're leaning towards?
    • Do the jobs Geology leads to appeal to you? How are they reached?
    • Does A-Level Geology pair well with your other post-16 choices, particularly the sciences, Geography, or Mathematics?
    • If your school doesn't offer A-Level Geology, is there a nearby sixth form, college, or consortium that does - and is that a route you'd want to take?
    • Would a T-Level, apprenticeship, or college course work better for you?
  • Close by reminding students that the best post-16 choice is the one they'll engage with - whether that's A-Levels, a T-Level, an apprenticeship, or going straight into work. Interest and effort are what lead to good results, and good results open doors.

After the lesson

  • Share the What can you do with Geology? page with students and their parents/carers:
    • www.coffeewith.xyz/subjects/what-can-you-do-with-geology
  • Encourage parents/carers to explore the page with their child and to discuss the contents.
  • Encourage parents/carers to also explore related videos and careers with their child.
  • Use the School Tools / Activities feature to record the lesson activity:
    • Activity name: Year 11 - Why study A-Level Geology?
    • Activity type: Linking curriculum learning to careers