Evidencing Quality Geography
Measuring Quality
The word 'quality' has many meanings; be it luxury, excellence or simply a characteristic of something, they all satisfy the term. It is a multi-faceted concept that can mean different things to different people.
Measures of quality can be equally varied - size and weight to name just two - but in order for the notion of quality to be established, some form of measure is undeniably required.
The quality of geography in schools is measured in a variety of ways, for a range of purposes. Senior leadership teams may measure quality through assessment performance; teachers may measure it through the enjoyment and engagement of students in lessons. However, there is one common thread to the measurement of quality, and that is the need to reflect upon current practice, so that future developments can be identified and strategically planned
Self-Evaluation Form
All schools are tasked with producing a Self-Evaluation Form (SEF). This is an evaluative, not descriptive process which requires schools to make judgements about itself, and then to provide an evidence base for those judgements.
Many schools ask individual curriculum teams to go through this same process, so giving them the opportunity to see how well they know themselves.
When analysing the performance of a curriculum area it seems reasonable to follow the format of the SEF.
Ofsted's 'Evaluation Schedule for Schools' provides further information and guidance.
These questions, together with a series of sub-questions, provide a structure for a detailed evaluative judgement to be made by a curriculum team. A collaborative approach is very important here, so that everybody 'buys into' the judgments made and, vitally, the plans made to address any areas for development.
The Secondary Geography Quality Mark
These questions form the basis of the GA's Secondary Geography Quality Mark (SGQM). The Key Stage Three SGQM is a framework which has been developed by the Geographical Association to enable subject leaders to raise the standards of geography in school, supporting the teaching of quality geography and promoting department leadership and management.
Schools who apply for the award are asked to reflect on each of the sections of the geography-focused SEF, as shown above, and then choose and provide their best evidence, with a maximum of two pieces for each of the nine sections. Student work is an essential feature of this, and schools are asked to provide at least three examples of student work in their submission.
Not all elements of the sub-questions within the framework require evidence, but all do require some reflection and comment. It is believed that asking teachers to select what they feel is their best evidence strengthens the whole process, provoking geography departments to discuss, debate and ponder the practice within their schools.
Find out more about the Secondary Geography Quality Mark.
Activity 7: Evidencing Quality Geography
This PowerPoint Presentation contains three tasks to help you think about good evidence of quality geography and what you might select as evidence for your own department.
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