The Swedish school system comprises three school types: preschool, compulsory school (9 years) and secondary school (3 years). The latest curriculum reform was completed in 2011, updating policy documents and restructuring syllabuses, clarifying subject specific abilities and knowledge requirements. In 2012, national tests in geography were instituted for years 6 and 9, yielding support for equal and fair assessment, and concretizing curriculum and syllabus. National tests have proved to be the single most important factor for accomplishing a change of teachers’ teaching. The purpose of this article is to discuss teaching, progression and assessing pupils’ knowledge in the geography subject. Three didactic issues in teaching and knowledge assessment, purpose, content, and method, are furthermore highlighted.