The Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference brought together 62 practitioners from different backgrounds to discuss geography education, particularly for primary-aged children. The conference affirmed that geography is an active, "doing" subject that develops children's sense of place and understanding of the world. It also contributes to children's well-being, cognitive development, and social understanding. The conference recognized geography's potential to empower children to think sustainably and explore important issues like colonialism. Participants agreed geography should draw on different forms of knowledge and focus on current events to benefit children, especially during the challenges of the pandemic.

1. Charney Conference Statement: 2021
1. Background
The Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference is a unique and independent forum that brings
together practitioners from different walks of life with diverse experience of primary geography
education in a variety of international settings. This statement is intended as our contribution to an
on-going debate about geography education, particularly with regard to primary age children, and
the future of the subject in a fast-changing world.
2. General Principles
Geography makes an essential contribution to children’s education. Not only does geography
develop children’s sense of belonging and place knowledge, it makes a unique contribution to their
understanding of the world and how it is changing. At a time of growing planetary crises, we believe
a deep understanding of the reciprocal relationship between people and their environment is ever
more important for primary age children and that geographical concepts and spatial awareness
provide a unique and essential perspective on current realities. More specifically:
• we believe that geography contributes to children’s health and well-being as well as their
cognitive and social development
• we value and seek more effectively to include the contributions which children bring and
make to their geographical education
• we recognise that the geography curriculum has changed remarkably little over the last
century and that there is now a need for new thinking and different strategies
• we see an on-going need to decolonise global learning and work towards better informed
international understanding
• we reaffirm the importance of signature pedagogies such as fieldwork, mapwork and
enquiry which have stood the test of time and are the hallmark of effective, high quality
geography
• we believe there is significant potential for new approaches in geography which embrace
notions such as divergence, disruption, enchantment, hope, imagination, creativity,
criticality, humility and confident uncertainty.
3. The 2021 Conference
The 2021 conference, undertaken at a time of lockdown and conducted virtually, attracted 62
attendees (more than double the previous year). It was the 24th
conference in a series that dates
back to 1995. The delegates came from different parts of the UK, Canada and the Republic of
Ireland and ranged from established researchers and teacher educators to early career practitioners.
Through diverse presentations and subsequent discussion, and building on the principles and
themes outlined in previous years, the conference affirmed the following:
• Geography involves children going out into the world and applying ideas in practice. This
means it should be seen as an active or ‘doing’ subject, just like music, science, art and PE.
• By experiencing the local area, geography builds children’s sense of belonging and place
attachment. This is especially important at a time of lockdown when children’s physical and
mental welfare are crucial issues and their identity may have been undermined.
• We affirm the importance of different forms of knowing which go beyond the purely
cognitive to embrace social understanding, emotional awareness, mindfulness and mystery.

2. • We recognise that by exploring what it means to be human as part of the wider planet,
geography helps to empower children to think and act sustainably.
• We believe that geography should focus on current events and explore ‘dangerous’ issues,
such as the legacy of colonialism, rather than treading cautiously around them.
• Instead of deficit thinking which sees current school cohorts as damaged by the global
pandemic, we believe this is the time to celebrate and draw strength from the way that
children and teachers have adapted to changing circumstances.
• We affirm the importance of teachers, especially subject leaders, engaging with primary
geography research findings and theories and conducting their own investigations as part of
their professional development.
• We believe that interacting with the subject community at the Charney Manor conference
has an important role in motivating participants and validating their practice wherever they
are in their career.
These bullet points are not intended as a comprehensive statement about the value and importance
of primary geography. Instead, they highlight some of the key issues that were raised by delegates
at the 2021 conference. We have a deep conviction that geography offers a unique insight into what
it means to be human. In the year ahead we will continue to draw attention to how geographical
thinking and understanding makes an essential contribution to contemporary education through our
publications, research, professional networks and daily working environments.