Grade descriptions give a general indication of the standards of achievement likely to be shown by candidates awarded particular grades.

To achieve a Grade A, a candidate will be able to show they can:

• understand the wide range of processes involved in the functioning of the Earth’s resources, human development within the natural system, and the impact of human activity on the total environment;
• understand in detail the patterns of behaviour needed to manage the environment sustainably, in the context of environmental interdependence;
• plan and carry out individual environmental investigation, using a suitable range of techniques of data collection, analysis and presentation;
• apply the extensive understanding and investigative skills above in making reasoned and balanced judgements on environmental questions of a local and international character with an appreciation of the different value positions of, and the variety of influences and constraints on the decision makers concerned.
• understand the main processes involved in the functioning of the Earth’s resources, human development within the natural system, and the impact of human activity on the total environment;
• understand in general terms the patterns of behaviour needed to manage the environment sustainably, in the context of environmental interdependence;
• plan and carry out individual environmental investigation using suitable techniques of data collection, analysis and presentation;
• apply the understanding and investigative skills above in making reasoned and balanced judgements on environmental questions of a local and international character with an appreciation of the different value positions and some of the influences and constraints on the decision makers concerned.
• understand at a basic level the main processes involved in the functioning of the Earth’s resources, human development within the natural system, and the impact of human activity on the total environment;
• understand in basic terms the patterns of behaviour needed to manage the environment sustainably, in the context of environmental interdependence and crisis;
• carry out individual environmental investigation, using basic techniques of data collection, analysis and presentation;
• apply the basic understanding and investigative skills above in discussing environmental questions of a local and international character, with an awareness that different value positions and constraints can exist.

To achieve a Grade C, a candidate will be able to show they can:

• understand the main processes involved in the functioning of the Earth’s resources, human development within the natural system, and the impact of human activity on the total environment;
• understand in general terms the patterns of behaviour needed to manage the environment sustainably, in the context of environmental interdependence;
• plan and carry out individual environmental investigation using suitable techniques of data collection, analysis and presentation;
• apply the understanding and investigative skills above in making reasoned and balanced judgements on environmental questions of a local and international character with an appreciation of the different value positions and some of the influences and constraints on the decision makers concerned.

To achieve a Grade F, a candidate will be able to show they can:

• understand at a basic level the main processes involved in the functioning of the Earth’s resources, human development within the natural system, and the impact of human activity on the total environment;
• understand in basic terms the patterns of behaviour needed to manage the environment sustainably, in the context of environmental interdependence and crisis;
• carry out individual environmental investigation, using basic techniques of data collection, analysis and presentation;
• apply the basic understanding and investigative skills above in discussing environmental questions of a local and international character, with an awareness that different value positions and constraints can exist.