IGCSE 2026 Exam Trends: Cambridge Geography 0460

Cambridge IGCSE Geography (0460) tests themes (e.g. population, rivers, coasts, industry) and skills (maps, graphs, data, enquiry). Here are recent trends for 2026.

Paper format and structure

• Paper 1 – Theme-based (e.g. population, settlement, rivers, coasts, weather, industry). Paper 2 – Map and geographical skills. Paper 3 – Coursework (alternative: Paper 4 – alternative to coursework). Structure is unchanged for 2025–2026.
• Skills are embedded across papers: map reading (grid references, scale, direction); graph and data interpretation (climate graphs, population pyramids, scatter graphs); photograph interpretation; enquiry (aims, methods, conclusions, evaluation).
• Extended writing appears in theme questions: describe, explain, suggest reasons, evaluate. Location-specific knowledge (e.g. named examples) is often required.

Question types and topics that keep coming up

• Population and settlement: Migration (causes, effects); urbanisation; settlement hierarchy; case studies (e.g. city, region). Explain and evaluate are common command words.
• Rivers and coasts: Processes (erosion, deposition, transport); landforms; management (hard/soft engineering); case studies. Diagrams and annotated sketches are sometimes required.
• Economic activity: Sectors; industry (location factors, change); globalisation; case studies. Comparison between places or times is frequently tested.
• Skills: Grid references, scale, bearing; cross-sections; graph interpretation (trends, patterns); enquiry – designing a study, evaluating methods, concluding from data.

Are papers getting easier or harder?

• Standards are maintained via grade boundaries. Reports highlight recurring issues: vague answers without location or specific example; weak graph/map skills; generic evaluation without balance or judgement.
• No reported shift in difficulty; specificity (named examples, data, place) and skills (map, graph, enquiry) are key differentiators.

Similarity to past papers and predictability

• Format and theme coverage match past series. Past papers are a good guide to skill types and mark allocation.
• Topics are predictable from the syllabus; case studies and data vary. Skill types (map, graph, enquiry) are consistent.
• Exact questions are not predictable; marking focus (specific examples, use of data, balanced evaluation) is.

Examiner expectations and marking

• Named examples and location are required where the question asks for them (e.g. “using a named example”). Generic answers (e.g. “a city in Asia”) score limited credit.
• Maps and graphs: Accuracy (e.g. grid reference, scale calculation); interpretation (trends, patterns, relationships); conclusions supported by the data.
• Extended writing: Structure (e.g. paragraphs, linking); explanation with cause–effect; evaluation with more than one perspective where appropriate.
• Marking follows the published scheme; no indication of marking becoming harsher.

Assessment style and skills in demand

• Application – to specific places and case studies; not just theory.
• Skills – map, graph, data; enquiry (aim, method, conclusion, evaluation).
• Evaluation – balanced discussion; judgement where asked; awareness of limitations or trade-offs.

Focus areas for 2026 revision

1. Case studies – learn named examples (places, schemes, events) for each theme; use them when asked.
2. Map and graph skills – practise grid references, scale, bearing; interpret graphs and describe trends.
3. Explain and evaluate – give reasons and cause–effect; for evaluate, give advantages and disadvantages and a conclusion.
4. Enquiry – know how to design a study, evaluate methods, and conclude from data.
5. Command words – “describe”, “explain”, “suggest”, “evaluate”; match your answer to the verb.

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Based on current syllabus and examiner reports. Always use the latest Cambridge 0460 syllabus for your series.