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View From Here - GA Chief Executive David Lambert
| The Action Plan for Geography |
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From the perspective of the future of school geography, recent months have been eventful. On 9 November 2005 the fourth and final meeting of the Focus Group for Geography took place. At this meeting the GA and RGS presented Lord Adonis, Schools’ Minister with an outline plan for action. We have now been tasked with a fully costed Action Plan for Geography, and the Government has undertaken to launch it this term. Of course, there is much work to do before this can happen, not least to agree its size and component parts. We are confident, for the priorities that will shape the plan have already been agreed. These are as follows:
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The overarching goals of the Action Plan, presented to the Minister in November, are to:
- Improve for all students the quality of the educational experience through geography, thus preparing them for their future lives as citizens.
- Raise the profile of geography in the education service, in particular its capacity to address several national policy concerns such as sustainable development, global dimension and enhancing a number of specific work related skills.
- Secure in the minds of policy makers, professionals in education, and the wider public the nature of contemporary geography in providing relevant, worthwhile and enjoyable education.
- Enthuse teachers and students about the value and career opportunities afforded by studying geography in the classroom and out of doors; and improve the dialogue and interaction between geography in schools and in HE and the wider world.
- Arrest the decline in the post-14 student take up of geography in the short term, and in the longer term to increase substantially the opportunities for students of all backgrounds and circumstances to experience high quality geographical components in their education.
- Raise awareness of the support that currently exists and strengthen the capacity of the two subject organisations to lead, support and promote the Action Plan for Geography, working in partnership.
We hope that the Action Plan will represent a sustained effort over a period of three years (2006-9), but some specific outcomes can be anticipated over the coming year or two. Here are some examples:
- Public engagement. Parents, school managers, Awarding Bodies, the DfES and other stakeholders understand what contemporary geography is and what it offers as part of a broad and balanced education.
- Dynamic curriculum. More relevant and stimulating criteria and specifications, incorporating cutting edge technologies and appropriate new developments in the subject and positively enabling and encouraging progression in teaching and learning.
- Creative teaching. Specialist teachers better supported in their subject professionalism and the understanding of cutting edge developments, through CPD and engagement in curriculum making.
- New professionalism. Primary and KS3 non specialist teachers enabled through tailored CPD and resources to improve the learning experience for the many.
- Developing potential. Geography teachers better prepared and supported to engage in the opportunities for geography to enhance the teaching and learning of ESD, citizenship, intercultural understanding, ICT, global perspectives and selected vocational training.
- Recognition and incentives. Individuals and schools recognised for achievements in teaching geography (e.g. through the primary and secondary Quality Marks currently being developed by the GA).
- Real World Learning. Fieldwork that makes stimulating use of the opportunities afforded by the local area and that develops team, observational and analytical skills in students. (see View From Here September 2005)
We believe that it will be possible to judge the success of these planned interventions. Hopefully there will be a renewed sense of confidence among teachers and students about geography’s significance in education. And we should see more specific outcomes too, such as increasing numbers of Specialist Schools opting for geography/humanities as a second specialism and improved Ofsted and QCA reports for geography (particularly in the primary and lower secondary phases).
David Lambert
January 2006
This article appears in GA Magazine issue 2.
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