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Standards
The standards for Lead Geography Departments in secondary schools have a number of strands. These are: attainment and progress, teaching and learning, leadership and management (both head and staff), curriculum issues and the department’s capacity to work with other schools. The quality rather than the quantity of evidence is critical. The lists shown below for geography are not exhaustive and schools may have other relevant sources of evidence.
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Attainment and progressThe department is confident and can show that pupils’ attainment is good in relation to the performance of similar schools, and that they make better than average progress over the key stages. Examination standards in the subject are as good as or better than in other subjects within the school.
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Possible sources of evidence:
- GCSE, school subject residuals in geography show that standards overall in the subject are as good as or better than in other subjects, over at least two years out of the last three.
- GCSE performance in geography courses are analysed in comparison with students’ average key stage 3 (KS3) performance in English, mathematics and science and/or teacher assessment in geography at KS3.
- Teacher assessment at the end of KS3 demonstrates good attainment nationally and/or in comparison with core and foundation subjects within the school and effective moderation has taken place
- Use of KS2, ALIS, YELLIS, MIDYIS, CATS, NFER or other standardised data demonstrates better than average attainment in relation to prior attainment at KS3, KS4 or the sixth form.
- The department has other evidence to show measurable added value over the key stages.
- Attainment is high in relation to national averages or similar schools.
- All pupils achieve well, including those gaining alternative accreditation at age 16.
- Particular groups of pupils are shown to make above average progress e.g. boys, girls, ethnic minority pupils, pupils with special educational needs, gifted and talented pupils.
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Notes
- In considering measures of attainment and progress at GCSE, account should taken of the school's entry policy and the proportion of students on a course who are not entered for examination.
- Any gender and/or ethnic differences in attainment should be shown and explained.
- Measures of progress should show the value added from the baseline on entry of the actual pupils in school. Where there is a high level of pupil turbulence its impact on measures of pupil progress and attainment should be explained
- Progress and attainment should be measured by the proportion of pupils gaining the higher grades or levels or the average points score or by both measures.
- Measures of a subject's performance relative to other subjects within the school must take account of national differences in the performance of different subjects.
- Alternative accreditation includes non-GCSE qualifications such as the Certificate of Achievement and GNVQ.
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Teaching and learningEach department should be able to demonstrate that the quality of learning is good for all. In relation to teaching there has to be a high proportion of good and very good teaching in the department and the quality of teaching is satisfactory or better.
Possible sources of evidence:
Evidence from lessons within the department will show that:
- learning takes place both inside and outside the classroom
- opportunities exist for pupils to learn in a way appropriate to them.
- pupils engage with learning through a wide range of resources
- fieldwork makes a significant contribution to learning within the department.
- learning connects with pupils’ own experiences
- the enquiry process is influenced by pupils own questions.
Evidence for learning:
- Lesson planning and schemes of work
- Pupils’ work
- Photographs
- Departmental meeting minutes
- Classroom display
- Effective use of ICT
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Evidence for teaching:
- School self-evaluation provides evidence of the quality of teaching in the department.
- Departmental planning and review demonstrates strategies for maintaining and improving teaching and learning.
- Teaching is well matched to the full range of pupils’ needs and abilities e.g. KS2, ALIS, YELLIS, MIDYIS, CATS, NFER or other data is used to inform provision.
- Pupils are positive about the teaching of the subject.
- Evidence from performance management and threshold assessment shows that good teaching has a positive impact on pupils’ learning.
- Evidence of common approaches across the department.
- Take -up at key stage 4 and post-16
- Role of support staff and their training and development.
- External evaluation from the last Ofsted report, if relevant, or from LEA observations of teaching in the department.
Notes
- A combination of sources will be used to judge the criteria under this standard. It will not be practical for teaching to be observed.
- Where necessary, schools should explain the impact on the quality of teaching of any issues to do with newly qualified teachers, recruitment, sickness, maternity leave or capability. They should explain the strategies in place to deal with these issues.
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Leadership and managementThe head of department:
- Must provide a clear philosophy and direction for the department. He or she must also be an effective team leader in supporting, developing, monitoring and motivating teaching and support staff.
- Ensures that the department plans effectively and uses the outcomes of evaluation to improve the work of the department.
- Ensures that the department collects and analyses information and uses it to improve pupil performance.
- Ensures effective teaching of, and learning within, the subject.
- Ensures that the organisation of curriculum and assessment are efficient and effective.
- Ensures that the administration of the department, including the use of resources and safety procedures, are efficient and effective.
Members of the department should demonstrate a key role in: the management of the department; the development of the curriculum; the evaluation of performance; and the departmental ethos.
The department itself must make an effective contribution to school development and to the life of the school.
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Possible sources of evidence:
- Departmental documentation/handbook
- Pupil data and analysis
- Most recent OFSTED report
- School and LEA review evidence
- NQT and new staff induction
- Professional development records
- Records/minutes of meetings
- Evidence that members of department work collaboratively on planning teaching and assessment
- Membership of professional subject association, e.g. Geographical Association
- Evidence of outcomes from monitoring, evaluating and reviewing.
Curriculum
- The curriculum is well matched to the needs of the pupils.
- The subject is enhanced by wider aspects of provision.
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Possible sources of evidence:
- Most recent Ofsted report.
- Evidence of opportunities taken to exploit topical ideas.
- Evidence that shows the geography curriculum is relevant to pupils’ lives
- Departmental development plans and evaluation.
- Documented schemes of work.
- Examination policy, entries and results.
- Pupil assessment and tracking.
- Evidence of pupils’ response to the support and challenge provided by the curriculum.
- Continuity and progression within and between key stages including primary transition- building on prior learning.
- Breadth of provision at KS3.
- Range of options at KS4/5.
- Introduction of new technologies through curriculum.
- Contribution to whole school developments e.g. citizenship
- Clubs, projects, competitions, summer schools and other extra-curricular activities and/or out-of-hours learning.
- Use and development of ICT, literacy and numeracy.
- Industrial and other links with outside agencies.
- Contribution to work – related learning.
- Provision for pupils with special educational needs, the gifted and talented, pupils with English as an additional language.
Capacity to work in a development role with other schools- The department works successfully in a development role.
- The department has the capacity to use their identified strengths with other geography departments.
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Possible sources of evidence:
- Members of the department have provided good quality training for teachers within the school, within the LEA, or with institutions of Higher Education.
- Staff development within the department effectively tackles whole school as well as departmental priorities.
- Members of the department have a formal developmental role as a mentor for newly-qualified staff or trainees.
- The department has worked successfully with staff in other institutions. This may include work with feeder primary schools, further education or higher education.
- The department may work with other schools through an Education Action Zone, a Specialist or Beacon School, a City Learning Centre or a Gifted and Talented network.
- Members of the department have a formal responsibility for assessment or development in a subject association or exam board.
- An Advanced Skills Teacher within the department works effectively with other schools.
- Contributions to whole school or LEA in-service training programme
- Contributions to professional journals and/or subject association conferences
- Proposed dissemination strategies.
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