We have made some changes to our qualification for GCSE Geography B (Geography for Enquiring Minds) – J384 which we've detailed below.

Amended exam duration

As part of our regular review and following feedback from teachers, we are extending the duration of two GCSE Geography B exams by 15 minutes:

• J384/01 Our Natural World – the time allowed is now 1 hour 30 minutes
• J384/02 People and Society – the time allowed is now 1 hour 30 minutes

We’re making this change for the June 2026 exams onwards.

Please note, the duration of the exam for GCSE Geography B J384/03 Geographical Exploration, remains at 1 hour 30 minutes.

Updated specification

Following feedback from teachers and changes in education research, we have updated our specification as detailed below:

• Topic 1 – Global Hazards: In 1.2a, we have removed convection currents. Students will now be assessed on ‘understanding of slab pull and ridge push to show how tectonic plates move’.
• Topic 5 – Urban Futures: In 5.2a, we have replaced the term ‘squatter settlements’ with ‘informal settlements’.
• Topic 6 – Dynamic Development: In 6.2a, we have removed Millennium Development Goals. Students will now be assessed on ‘progress towards three relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for this LIDC’. In 6.2b, we have amended the wording. Students will no longer be assessed on ‘international aid or debt relief.’ Students will be assessed on ‘the advantages and disadvantages of international aid such as debt relief for its development’.

These changes are for first teach September 2025 and will be first assessed in the June 2027 exams. 

We've provided further details on the specification changes in our What has changed? assessment guide.

You can view and download this guide from the Planning and teaching > Planning section of the GCSE Geography B qualification page on our website.  It is also available on the GCSE Geography B Subject home > Resources section on Teach Cambridge.

We are currently updating the specification and sample assessment materials (SAMs) with all the changes above, for first teach September 2025. You will be able to access these from the GCSE Geography B (J384) qualification page on our website and Teach Cambridge – we'll provide links when these are available.

Note: We understand some teachers will be delivering the specification topics in a different order to others. The mark scheme for June 2026 assessments will therefore allow responses from both versions of the specification (first teach 2016 and first teach September 2025) where applicable.

Amended question papers and resource booklet

To improve accessibility and clarity for students, we’re also amending our question papers and resource booklet for GCSE Geography B:

• We are replacing ‘Fig’ with the full word ‘Figure’.

Students will see this change in the live assessment materials from the June 2026 series onwards.

If you have any queries about this update, please contact the Geography Subject Team on 01223 553998 or email us at geography@ocr.org.uk.

Qualification

• Geography B (Geography for Enquiring Minds) (9-1) - J384 (from 2016)