7 Key Things You Need to Know About the NEA - Or You Risk Your Child Failing.

Let’s be brutally honest…

If your child is taking A level geography, there’s one thing standing between them and that A or A*: The NEA (Non-Examined Assessment).

It’s 20% of their final grade. It's the only part they control. And it’s the one thing that causes more stress, missed marks, and panicked last-minute scrambles than anything else in the entire syllabus.

The crazy part? Most parents have no idea what the NEA is or how easily it can go wrong.

And by the time you find out? It’s often too late.

That’s why I’ve written this post, to give you the 7 mission-critical things you absolutely must know about the NEA before your child’s A level geography grade is on the chopping block.

1. There Are Key NEA Deadlines. Miss Them and You’re Toast

First thing’s first. Timing is everything.

If your child misses key deadlines for their NEA, they are unlikely to get any feedback. No feedback = no improvement = capped marks or worse.... disqualification.

Here are the rough dates that matter:

• September – October (Year 13): Data should already be collected. Students start planning and writing up.

• Mid-November: First full draft usually due for teacher feedback.

• January: Final submission deadline in most schools and colleges.

• March – April: Final internal marking and moderation.

  Of course, these dates are subject to each individual school. Some school's like to square away the NEA in year 12. If so, there's a real possibility your child may have already completed the NEA, or at least be part through.

  Less time than you thought?
  

➡️ Action step: Ask your child TODAY — Have you collected your data? When’s your first draft due?

➡️ Action step: Get in touch with your child's school TODAY — What are the key NEA dates? When is the first draft due? Is it due all at once?

If your child is vague or don’t know.... that’s your red flag.

2. Has Your Child Actually Done Their Fieldwork?

You wouldn’t try to bake a cake without flour. So why are so many students writing an NEA without proper fieldwork?

Here’s the truth:

Most schools offer 4 days of fieldwork across the A level course (as required by the exam boards).But guess what? A shocking number of students have barely done two.

Some have missed days due to illness. Others got poor-quality practice. And many schools just… didn’t follow up.

So ask your child:

✅ Have you done four full days of fieldwork? ✅ Did you collect any independent data?

✅ Did you write an introduction before collecting your data? ✅ Were those days spent actually DOING field methods, or just observing?

If the answer to any of those is “not sure”… it’s time to take control.

3. Is Their NEA Based on a Field Studies Council (FSC) Centre Visit?

The Field Studies Council (FSC) centres are known for delivering high-quality fieldwork. But just because your child visited one doesn’t mean the NEA is sorted.

Why?

Because FSC centres provide support, but not a completed investigation.

In fact, many students come away with template-style projects that dozens of other students around the UK are also submitting.

Exam boards hate this.

They want originality, independent thinking, and personalised investigations.

➡️ Pro tip: Ask your child if their NEA is based on a topic developed at an FSC centre. If so, push them to personalise it. Add local context. Collect extra data. Make it unique.

4. Practice Makes Marks: Has Your Child Done a ‘Mock NEA’?

Imagine trying to sit your driving test without ever driving a car.

That’s what it’s like when students do their NEA without practice.

And unfortunately, many schools don’t run proper NEA rehearsals.

What should a practice NEA include?

• A mini research question

• One day of local fieldwork

• Data analysis

• Write-up using the correct structure
  

Even a basic version helps students understand the process, spot gaps, and feel more confident.

➡️ Ask your child: “Did your school run a mock NEA in Year 12? Have you ever written up a full investigation before?”

If not, they’re going into the real thing blind and this is a BAD place to be.

5. Your Child CAN Complain - But There’s a Process.

Completed NEA already? What if your child feels they were unfairly marked? Or their teacher didn’t support them? There is a way to challenge it but it’s time-sensitive.

Here’s how it works:

1. Stage 1: Internal review at the school (usually after marks are released in spring).

2. Stage 2: If still unhappy, you can ask the exam board to review moderation.

3. Deadlines apply — often within 2 weeks of marks being released.
   

BUT… the best complaints are backed up with evidence. Emails. Feedback sheets. Missed support sessions. You name it.

➡️ Pro tip: Encourage your child to keep all communication via email with their teacher. Requests for help, requests for deadlines, requests for.... remarks. Everything helps if you ever need to lodge a complaint.

6. The NEA Structure Isn’t Guesswork - But Most Students Get It Wrong

There’s a set structure that the exam boards expect:

1. Introduction & Question

2. Contextual Research

3. Methodology

4. Data Presentation

5. Analysis & Interpretation

6. Conclusion

7. Evaluation
   

Sounds simple, right?

But most students either:

• Skip key sections

• Pitch their argument poorly by not understanding what is required in each section

• Don’t cite sources

• Forget to include field photos, maps or data tables

• Write too descriptively, not analytically
  

The result? Top-band marks are out of reach.

➡️ Action tip: Ask to see your child’s NEA draft. If it reads like a diary entry or a travel blog, it needs fixing - fast.

7. A Geography Tutor Can Be the Difference Between a C and an A*

Let’s cut to the chase.

The NEA is hard. It’s time-consuming, technical, and unforgiving.

Teachers are juggling 30+ students. Schools are short-staffed. And if your child is falling behind, they won’t always get the help they need.

That’s where we come in.

At Geography Tutors, we specialise in:

✅ NEA support from start to finish ✅ Helping students design unique, high-scoring investigations ✅ Fixing dodgy drafts and elevating analysis ✅ Providing fieldwork advice even if their school dropped the ball ✅ Ensuring deadlines are met - no stress, no last-minute disasters

We’ve helped hundreds of A level geography students boost their grades, avoid NEA nightmares, and secure university offers - even if they started behind.

And now? It’s your child’s turn.

What’s Next?

If your child:

❌ Isn’t clear on their NEA topic ❌ Hasn’t done full fieldwork ❌ Hasn’t submitted a draft ❌ Doesn’t know their deadlines ❌ Feels overwhelmed

…then you can’t afford to wait.

📞 Book a free 15-minute strategy call with one of our expert tutors today.

We’ll show you exactly what’s missing, what to fix, and how to get your child back on track - fast.

Don’t leave your child’s A level geography grade to chance. Know the facts. Take action and let’s ace this NEA together.