ABSTRACT
An idea for the development of General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) was that the higher levels should be retained for those 14-16 year olds who did not wish to take a GCSE in, geography. But who, under the proposals of that time, would have been required to continue with all the National Curriculum subjects until the age of 16. Arguably, there has long been a National Curriculum in place in the 14-16 phase, in that the GCSE boards, whilst retaining autonomy in their subject syllabuses, have had to work to National Criteria. In January 1993 School Examinations and Assessment Council issued Key Stage 4 examinations' criteria, in the context of a situation in which it was still envisaged there would be short and long course alternatives for geography. School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA) issued revised criteria in response to the Dearing recommendations early in 1994, as a basis for consultation.
