The key priorities identified in the document are improving standards, developing an effective curriculum, increasing GCSE numbers, implementing fieldwork, providing CPD for staff, and raising expectations. A strategy that could be used is to focus first on developing a vision and culture of high expectations for teaching and learning from the start of Year 7, linked to GCSE. This would involve using GCSE-style questions in all lessons and ensuring the KS3 curriculum prepares students for GCSE.

1. What three objects represent what you want geography to be at your school?

5. Time
Attainment

6. Impact.
#gaconf15
David Rogers
@davidErogers
davidrogers.org.uk
drogersmm@me.com

7. ‘It’s not worth doing something unless someone, somewhere,
would much rather you weren’t doing it.’
Terry Practchett from the foreword to The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy,

8. have an unshakeable belief in the power of
great teaching.

11. Photo Credit used through Creative Commons
‘…there was a clear tendency amongst best teachers to see
the power of the humdrum, the everyday.’
Practice Perfect, Lemov, D; Woolway E; Yezzi, K p5-6

12. The strategic view
I also knew, as did
every kid in Canada,
that it was
impossible….. But….
Just the day before it
had been impossible
to walk on the
Moon….. Maybe
someday, it would be
possible for me to go
too, and if that day
ever came, I wanted
to be ready.’
Chris Hadfield, Aged 9.

13. Year 7 below Level 4: 20%
SEN: 20%
School Action Plus and Statements
twice national average.
20% MEG
16% EAL
30% Pupil Premium

14. Geography at Key Stage 3 : 1 hour per week
Average number of classes per teacher: 17

15. Value added:
School : 996
Geography : 1012
KS4 entries:
2008 – 21
2013 - 120
If outcomes at GCSE (or A’Level) are looking good then……

16. Image Source via Flickr and Creative Commons
‘The videos you see are delightful, but they’re nothing like the
reality of being weightless.’
Chris Hadfield, quoted here.

17. Achievement and standards are inadequate
Ofsted
‘For the relatively small number of students who take GCSE
geography, their geography results are well below the
results for their other subjects.’
‘Students’ standards are below expectations at the end of
Year 9 and well below national averages at GCSE. Although
teaching is satisfactory, students have not learnt enough
because of an inadequate curriculum. ‘
SEF
‘Pupils achieved a lower standard in Geography than in
some other subjects in the school, mostly notably at KS4.
The relative performance indicator (RAISEOnline) gives a
figure of –5.6. The percentage of pupils achieving A*-C has
improved, going from 29.7% to 32.7% in.
Underperformance was notable when considering pupils
with special educational needs and English as an additional
language. There was a small gender bias in performance
with girls slightly closer to their targets than boys. ‘
‘Overall the standards that learners achieve were not high
enough when set against their capability and starting
points.’

18. Inadequate Curriculum
Ofsted
‘The work planned for Key Stage 3 does not motivate the
students. The schemes of work on which teachers base
their lessons are too general to guide teachers effectively
and contain insufficient opportunities for students to use
their ICT skills or to ask and answer their own geographical
questions.’
Autumn Spring Summer
Year 7 Map Skills Coasts Farming
Year 8 Rivers Volcanoes Settlement
Year 9 Industry Population Floods

19. GCSE Coursework does not meet specification resulting in low
standards
Ofsted
‘Coursework standards are a particular weakness at GCSE
and, as a result, standards are well below national
averages. Students’ work is too descriptive with insufficient
analysis, and few students use information and
communication technology (ICT).’
SEF
‘Coursework has been highlighted as a weakness in the
subject with underperformance affecting overall
achievement’
‘Current Year 11 Cohort’s coursework does not meet
specification assessment criteria’

20. GCSE Numbers are low
Total Year 10 Cohort 250 students
Geography Cohort 35 students
History Cohort 180 students

21. No fieldwork
Ofsted
‘Previously, GCSE coursework was badly planned and
organised so that students were not prepared to achieve
well. ‘
‘There has not been a programme of fieldwork that
involved all students taking Key Stage 3 and GCSE courses.’

22. No culture of CPD and lots of non-specialists
Geography Team
2 specialists, 4 non-specialists including 2 SLT members
No courses for many years.
Existing staff are unconfident in delivering a new and innovative curriculum, including the use of ICT

23. Priorities

24. What would you identify as the key priority?
What strategy would you use?

27. Asking for forgiveness rather than permission

28. Imagine you walking around
your department.
Sketch what you’d see.

29. GCSE specifications for the discipline of geography should provide the
opportunity for students to understand more about the world, the
challenges it faces and their place within it. The GCSE course will
deepen understanding of geographical processes, illuminate the
impact of change and of complex people-environment interactions,
highlight the dynamic links and interrelationships between places and
environments at different scales, and develop students’ competence in
using a wide range of geographical investigative skills and
approaches. Geography enables young people to become globally
and environmentally informed and thoughtful, enquiring citizens.
Subject aims

30. A lack of vision is the
problem in geography
departments.
Not government or SLT.

31. How will this improve learning?
How will this help my team to
improve learning?

32. Raising expectations
High quality teaching and learning from lesson one of Year 7
GCSE questions a part of all lessons.
KS3 linked to GCSE expectations

33. Olympic Geocaching

34. It’s about learning
Simple, effective ideas
Banned Words
PEEL
SEEP
Prove it!
So What?

35. Thanks to Patcham High’s Art
department and @PrioryGeography

36. Literacy and
numeracy

41. Location
Sights
(most
important
first)
Physical
features
Human
features
Sounds /
smells
Feeling
Thanks to: Noel Jenkins

42. Make this…. …from this

45. What can eyes measure accurately? Partner voice: 10
ideas that would count in your GCSE controlled
assessment.

46. Eyes were invented before equipment /
technology.

49. Photo Source http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunfox/9884985/
Do now – How can using washing machines make a country more developed?
Using a washing machine means
Therefore, GDP
per capita
increases and the
country becomes
more developed
and has a higher
standard of living
(wealth)

52. 1 2 3 4 5 6
1
Link to
sustainability
Mixed land
use
Integrated
public
transport
4/5ths of
population of
England, Wales &
Scotland live in
urban areas
Housing
Minister
Refer to data
2
Refer to data Link to
sustainability
National
government
14’000
proposed new
jobs
Young adults
traditionally
migrate out of rural
areas to urban
Builders
3
Services
(including
health, shops,
facilities)
Refer to data Link to
sustainability
Residents
(NIMBIES)
Tram-to-town Transport costs
account for half all
money spent by
rural households
4
Large areas of
urban space
used for leisure
& agriculture
Footpaths and
cycle paths
Local
government
Link to
sustainability
Refer to data 15’000homes
built (4’5000
starter homes)
5
Opposition
Shadow
Housing
Minister
Working from
home and self
employment is
above average in
rural areas
Reported
crime levels
are lower in
rural areas
Refer to data Link to
sustainability
Prince of
Wales
6
Better
internet
access in rural
counties
Flying Club
relocated
Refer to data Architects Urban Home
Owners
Link to
sustainability

55. What is the value of a teacher in the Google
age?
Knowledge Curriculum
Values
Right and wrong
Passion
Turning consumers into creators
Resilient independent learners
Critical evaluation
Image credit
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrtnk/394118994/

56. Young people who do not have access to
the internet at home or in schools — and
who lack the support that comes from
parents or teachers equipped with strong
digital skills — will not develop the
necessary social, learning and technical
skill sets for success in a wired global
economy.
The State of the World’s Children 2011, UNICEF
Thanks to John Connell

65. Curiosity glasses
“Nothing is more fatal to the progress of the
human mind than to presume that our views of
science are ultimate, that our triumphs are
complete, that there are no mysteries in nature,
and that there are no new worlds to conquer.”
Humphrey Davy, quoted by Prof Brian Cox

68. Image of the
week
Core
geographical
terms
Banned Words Teacher email
address
Social media
links
Key command
words
Connectives
and Groups of
People
Learning
Objective board
A saying
Priory
geography
enquiry
Flowchart
The Priory
Geography
Team
Year 10
Controlled
Assessment
Tracker
Big Whiteboard Pupil work on
current unit
Stevenson
Screen
Grade
mountains
Priory
Geography
Mantra
More
connectives
Different maps

70. Structures

74. Mad Stuff

80. Development Plans

81. Is your curriculum full of
JONK?

82. “Your are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more
amply, with greater vision, and with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here
to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget this errand.”
Woodrow Wilson.

83. ‘What gets you out of bed in the morning and in
to school?’
@davidErogers
davidrogers.org.uk
drogersmm@me.com