Quality Geography for All

1. Quality Geography for All

2. Quality Geography Before we can monitor/evaluate the curriculum in our school we need to have firm criteria in our heads about what ‘quality geography’ looks like. Key message: quality geography engages pupil interest, captures imagination and stimulates enthusiasm for learning. • What does a quality geography curriculum look like? • What do pupils say after a quality geography lesson?

3. Quality Geography in Practice Examples from Quality Mark pilot schools.

4. The study of geography stimulates an interest in and a sense of wonder about places. It helps young people make sense of a complex and dynamically changing world. It explains where places are, how places and landscapes are formed, how people and their environment interact, and how a diverse range of economies, societies and environments are interconnected. It builds on pupils’ own experiences to investigate places at all scales, from the personal to the global. Geographical enquiry encourages questioning, investigation and critical thinking about issues affecting the world and people’s lives, now and in the future. Fieldwork is an essential element of this. Pupils learn to think spatially and use maps, visual images and new technologies, including geographical information systems (GIS), to obtain, present and analyse information. Geography inspires pupils to become global citizens by exploring their own place in the world, their values and their responsibilities to other people, to the environment and to the sustainability of the planet.

5. A word from David Lambert... • Pupils cannot be taught simply to think. They have to have something to think about. If this ‘something’ is trivial, irrelevant or out of date then the education process will be devalued and impoverished. After the novelty of the initial pedagogic adventure, students will lose interest. And of course formulaic approaches, no matter how active and engaging, can soon lose that sense of adventure.

6. Introducing the Secondary Geography Quality Mark

7. The Secondary Geography Quality Mark The overarching strength of the Quality Mark is its capacity to act as an effective ‘ lever of change’ for the development of geography in schools...

8. The Secondary Geography Quality Mark Supporting geography departments in creating and extending the geography curriculum experience for all students. Part of a self-evaluation framework to support development at KS3 Indicators to enable teachers to think creatively and critically about developing a dynamic, relevant KS3 curriculum.

9. The Secondary Geography Quality Mark • What’s in it for me? • Identify and celebrate good geography • Provide a framework for subject leaders to analyse the curriculum and engage in curriculum making • Provide a framework and a tool to help geography teachers clarify their own CPD needs • Improve for all pupils the quality of the educational experience through geography

10. About the pilot • Sept 2006 – May 2007: schools involved in pilot • 27 schools awarded the SGQM in September 2007 who had • tested and explored ways to develop the process • tested and developed the framework • explored the nature of evidence and what constitutes quality geography • contributed to the development of the final documentation • Ongoing production of a Tool Kit with a SEF, exemplar materials and CPD suggestions.

12. Assessment • The Quality Mark award is verified on the basis of written evidence – preferably provided electronically. • Centre of Excellence status – dissemination of good practice and good geography • e.g. Organisation of a local geography competition • Planning and hosting CPD events for primary and / or secondary colleagues • Guiding another school through the Quality Mark process • http://www.geography.org.uk/secondary/secondaryqualitymark/

13. How to plan, prepare and apply for the award 1. Collaboratively complete self- evaluation using the criteria to establish the level which best describes the quality of geography in your school 2. Visual overview of the current situation and helps to identify areas of development 3. Produce action plan - stand alone, or preferably, complement subject SEF/ school improvement plan. 4. Register intention to apply for the Mark with the GA and pay the appropriate fee 5. Begin collecting evidence, maximum of TWO pieces for each of the criterion

14. The Framework

15. Using the Checklist

16. Reflection Why did we do it like this? How do we know it is successful? What is the impact on teaching and learning? Using the local area allows our students to develop their own ideas and opinions in relation to issues on a range of scales, incorporating a humanistic approach to topics. Studying topical events have allowed them to understand the interdependence of countries and people and how geographical patterns can be changed and improved. This essentially allows them to form their own well evidenced and thought through ideas and opinions in addition to understanding the ephemeral nature of the world in which they live. Local fieldwork allows students to understand how their actions locally have a national and global impact. By presenting information to students in a variety of ways and viewpoints, they can appreciate diverse and different thinking. Students show interest and often enthusiasm with more active engagement and generally positive (informal) feedback from students. Areas for development Further development of student voice (see section 2) to enable students to be more involved in shared curriculum development

18. Comment from Pilot schools • ‘…..we have always had an open mind as to what we teach and how we teach, preferring innovation and change to stagnation and repetition. So when we had the chance to pilot SGQM we knew we were undertaking a process of national importance – a sense of setting off into the unknown.’ What was in it for you? • ‘Personal and professional challenge combined at a time of great change in what and how we were teaching. …….. A thorough overhaul of our lessons was needed and SGQM came at just the right time to establish whether the department was on the right tracks.’ • ‘A valuable, reflective process of continuous improvement’

19. Administration costs (compare with INSET course costs) Small schools <750 pupils - £200 Medium schools 750-1200 pupils - £300 Large schools >1200 pupils - £400 'This is self-run CPD par excellence, for evidence from training evaluations shows that the one-off day, run by no-matter-how-inspiring a speaker, is generally found less effective as CPD than that where teachers themselves are the active participants, engaged in working on a relevant topic'. (Quote from Advisory Teacher)

20. Where Next? • Be enthused! • Sign up to gain support through the Secondary Geography Quality Mark forum of the developing VLE and to access to all Quality Mark CPD

22. Further information • www.geography.org.uk/secondary/secondaryqualitymark/ • www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk/professional-recognition/introduction/

23. Keep in touch • sgqm@geography.org.uk • juliebeattie@geography.org.uk

24. Over to you... • Use the criteria to identify what evidence you currently have that could contribute to a submission • What benefits would the SGQM bring to your department and school? • Discuss a strategy to convince your Department team and SMT of the value of the SGQM