Geography Teachers’ Tool Kit The Action Plan for Geography Moving stories (why is the population of the changing?) A thorny issue (should I buy a Valentine’s rose?) Into Africa (how are our lives connected with ?) Look at it this way (What are your views on landscapes?) Who do you think you are? (British or European?) Water works (do we have equal rights to resources?) Future floods (how can geography make a difference?) The rise and rise of (where does go from here?) The day I changed the world (what difference can we make to the climate?) Faster, Higher, Stronger (Is the Olympics the best way to regenerate ?) This is a two year programme funded by DCSF implemented by the GA and the RGS-IBG. www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk

The Activity Programmes The Action Plan consists of three interlinked programmes which are delivered equally and jointly by the GA and RGS-IBG: Communication Support Development

OFSTED Recommendations The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the QCA should: continue to provide financial support for the Action Plan for Geography to ensure support for developing the subject. 

Michael Palin 27/11/07 Geography is all about the living, breathing essence of the world we live in. It explains the past, illuminates the present and prepares us for the future. What could be more important than that?

The Geography Teaching Today Website www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk created to disseminate high quality resources, support and professional development to teachers. provide a context for, and links to, key information such as QCA’s materials on the new KS3 geography Programme of Study.

Ambassador Project (RGS-IBG) The scheme recruits, trains and supports geographers from universities and business to act as geography ambassadors promoting further study and geography’s relevance to careers.

Geography subject leadership - KS1-3 Courses Curriculum Making The Curriculum Making courses emphasised three cross cutting themes, Citizenship, Sustainable Development and ICT. Quality Geography Conferences The three part programme addressed the question of how to identify ‘quality’, shared some examples of material acquired through Quality Mark pilot schools and introduced the Quality Mark frameworks.

Quality Geography Conferences Nine regional conferences – addressing; What is Quality geography?

Key Stage Three Resources (RGS-IBG) Eight exciting and engaging online resource modules covering London 2012, India, environmental interaction, development, tourism, hazards, places and sustainability. Each module includes interactives, up-to-date case studies, materials and lesson notes relevant to the new KS3 geography curriculum.

A series of short, engaging modules for the new KS3 programme of study Module plans and on-line resources available from: www.geographyteachingtoday.co.uk London 2012: Using the Games to look at environmental and urban change at a range of scales. (5 lessons) New India: The physical and human processes that are transforming India and its role in the world. (7 lessons) Adventure Landscapes: Exploring physical geography and environmental interaction through adventure landscapes. (7 lessons)

Who wants to be a billionaire? A fresh approach to uneven development. (7 lessons) Paradise Lost? Tourism in contemporary Thailand. (6 lessons) Risky world Hazard risk and impact at a variety of scales (7 lessons) Fantastic places Stimulating an interest in and sense of wonder about places. (6 lessons) “Impossible” places How human activity can create or change places that can be considered to be “impossible”. (6 lessons)

Fieldwork and Local learning Providing teachers with resources and advice for fieldwork including specific fieldwork CPD programmes – Including London 2012

GCSE Pilot Support GCSE Pilot Support including a conference of 70 teachers in July 2007 establishing a valuable forum for influencing GCSE developments

Young People’s Geographies Project   Developing leading edge possibilities in curriculum development, encouraging student voice and participation.

Membership and joint Membership The Early career Teacher joint package – using the Quality Mark and Chartered Geographer as incentives to encourage new members

Quality Marks

The Geography Quality Mark (GA) A ‘lever of change’ in the development of high quality geography in the schools that take part. A process of reflection on, and prioritisation of, key aspects of quality and ways to sustain improvements in geographical teaching and learning.

Chartered Geographer (Teacher) (RGS-IBG) The ongoing professional qualification for teachers who can demonstrate professionalism in the use of geographical knowledge or skills in their schools and who are committed to ongoing CPD.

Active Involvement of schools In total teachers from almost 1000 schools are actively involved in contributing to the creation of resources, in face to face CPD, in professional development recognition, in interacting with ambassadors, and in reviewing the website.

The Geography Teaching Today Website www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk

KS3 Teachers’ Toolkit

Living Geography embraces young people’s geographies is current and futures oriented is often ‘local’ but always set in wider (global) contexts investigates changing environments encourages a critical understanding of geographical concepts e.g. ‘sustainable development’