The AQA GCSE Geography Paper 3 pre-release for 2025 is now out – and as many of us have suspected, it’s a tough read. After running a readability analysis, the results confirmed what classroom experience tells us: this is a challenging text for many students.
Pre-release Readability – What the Data Tells Us
I converted the pre-release into a Word document and ran the Microsoft Word readability check. The Flesch Reading Ease score was 39.5, well below the recommended 60–70 for standard readability. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level was 11.4, roughly equivalent to a Year 12 reading level.
Of course, this is a geography-specific resource, and some complexity is to be expected due to technical vocabulary and data-heavy content. But even allowing for this, the challenge of comprehension shouldn’t be underestimated.
So, how can we support students in reading more effectively and gaining the confidence to tackle this text independently? Here are some tried-and-tested strategies modelled using this year’s pre-release content.
1. Share the Secret: It’s a Hard Read
Start by being honest with your students – this is a challenging text. Reassure them that it’s okay to struggle and that reading it is a process. Encourage them to note down unfamiliar words and phrases without turning everything into a question. For instance, terms like “energy trilemma” or “Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)” are likely to be new and should be added to a glossary, not necessarily interrogated immediately.
2. Stimulate Curiosity
Building interest in the topic makes students more willing to persevere. Start with a blank page activity: ask, “What do you remember about the UK’s energy mix or renewable energy from our lessons?” Or give them figure titles like “Towards a renewable energy future in the UK” and ask what they think that section might include.
Making local or cultural connections can also spark engagement. If students know Tyson Fury lives in Morecambe, they’ll quickly realise the relevance of the proposed tidal barrage across Morecambe Bay!
3. Activate Prior Knowledge
Before opening the pre-release booklet, show students images of tidal barrages, renewable energy sources, or Morecambe Bay’s estuary environment. Ask them to predict what geographical themes the pre-release might address. Even a general recall activity on energy sources or environmental impacts can unlock valuable prior learning.
4. Keystone Vocabulary – Frontload and Focus
Identify key vocabulary students must understand to access the text. Using the CRATER model (Classification, Range, Associations, Technical detail, Examples, Related terms) can help unpack words like “affordability”, “marine turbines”, or “biodiversity”.
Take the phrase “emission-free energy” from Figure 3. Students can use CRATER to explore how it relates to climate change, energy policy, and sustainability.
5. Help Students Navigate the Structure
Number the paragraphs or sections of the pre-release. This supports students when referring to evidence and makes group discussion more precise. For example, ask, “Can you find where the document talks about the economic benefits of the tidal barrage?” and direct them to the paragraph starting “The £10 billion tidal gateway project…”.
6. Interrogate the Text
On the first read, encourage students to highlight key terms and underline key facts using pencil – so they can adjust if their understanding changes. For instance, in Figure 2, students might initially highlight all the advantages of renewables, only to realise later that some of those may also apply to tidal energy in Figure 3.
7. Familiarisation and Confidence Building
Start with independent reading – even 10 minutes of silent reading builds resilience. Then, work through the text as a class, using mini whiteboards for comprehension checks: “What’s one advantage of tidal power mentioned in this paragraph?” or “Give an example of a challenge linked to the energy trilemma.”
Reading Strategies in Practice
These classic comprehension strategies still have a vital role in navigating complex texts like this one:
Activating Prior Knowledge
Ask students to recall what they already know about energy sources in the UK, including past case studies like wind farms or HEP.
Prediction
After reading the heading “Morecambe Bay and Duddon Estuary tidal gateway project”, ask students to predict possible economic, social or environmental impacts.
Questioning
Encourage students to generate questions as they read: “How many homes will the barrage power?”, “Why is this location controversial?”, or “What is the RSPB concerned about?”
Clarifying
Ask students to identify words or ideas they’re unsure of, such as “hydrogen fuel cells” or “navigation locks”, and work together to build meaning.
Summarising
After reading a section, ask students to summarise in one or two sentences. For example: “What are the potential environmental impacts of the Morecambe Bay barrage?”. Graphic organisers – like Venn diagrams to compare pros and cons, or flowcharts showing the impacts of the tidal project – can make these summaries more visual and manageable.
The above strategies are a tool kit you can dip into to support students in accessing the pre-release. We’re not recommending using them all for the full pre-release. Using one or a combination of the approaches can support students. You know your students and what will work for them.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 pre-release is undoubtedly ambitious in scope and language. But, with the right strategies, we can help students build the confidence and skills to approach it purposefully. A structured, scaffolded approach that promotes curiosity, language awareness and comprehension monitoring can make all the difference.
Further Reading – Useful Sources Used in Developing this Post
EEF – Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools
EEF KS3 – KS4 Literacy Guidance
5 Strategies for Reading Complex Texts
