1. The National Curriculum Review GA consultation Session 7 19 th September 2011

2. What can we do as teachers ? It is important to distinguish between the National Curriculum and the wider school curriculum. The National Curriculum was originally envisaged as a guide to study in key subjects which would give parents and teachers confidence that students were acquiring the knowledge necessary at every level of study to make appropriate progress. As it has developed, the National Curriculum has come to cover more subjects, prescribe more outcomes and take up more school time than originally intended. It is the Government's intention that the National Curriculum be slimmed down so that it properly reflects the body of essential knowledge which all children should learn and does not absorb the overwhelming majority of teaching time in schools. Individual schools should have greater freedom to construct their own programmes of study in subjects outside the National Curriculum and develop approaches to learning and study which complement it. The National Curriculum should have the following aims at its heart: to embody rigour and high standards and create coherence in what is taught in schools; to ensure that all children have the opportunity to acquire a core of essential knowledge in the key subject disciplines; and beyond that core, to allow teachers the freedom to use their professionalism and expertise in order to help all children realise their potential. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F64vjp2yH6Q&feature=player_embedded

3. What can we do as teachers ? GA online consultation

4. What are the aims of the consultation?  To clarify the GA's position regarding the national curriculum review following the 2010 White Paper, in relation to: - Forms of geographical knowledge: content and context; concepts and skills - The relationship between curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.  To influence the government in its deliberations and policy regarding the design and specification of geography in the national curriculum.  To stimulate teachers and promote positive debate about the new curriculum.  To establish a groundswell of expertise to enable high quality support to successfully implement the new curriculum.

5. Why have a consultation? This GA initiative takes place in the context of the National Curriculum Review, announced in January 2011 following the 2010 White Paper The Importance of Teaching. This could radically change how geography is expressed in the national curriculum and will be in place for first teaching in September 2014.The Importance of Teaching The direction of travel appears to be: A return to traditional knowledge and subject 'rigour' - David Lambert refers to this as the 'knowledge turn'. Geography is one of two humanities subjects that allows students to qualify for the English Baccalaureate.David LambertEnglish Baccalaureate A minimalist national curriculum which hopefully retains geography as a statutory subject from 5-14 with a statutory programme of study. Subject programmes of study specifying the essential knowledge of those subjects (for more on this, see the forthcoming autumn 2011 issue of Teaching Geography).Teaching Geography Greater professional freedom/responsibility to teach. The GA's interpretation of this centres on creative and disciplined 'curriculum making'. In addition, it is worth noting that both the 2008 and 2011 Ofsted reports on geography give cause for concern. They indicate that geography is taught at a good enough standard in only about half of schools nationally and that many students lack geographical core knowledge.20082011 The GA aims to use the National Curriculum Review to strengthen school geography. So, what is a better school geography? What shall we teach?

6. What can we do as teachers ? Talk to each other about what we do in our subjects Watch each other teach Staff Development HoD’s explain their subject Ensure schemes of work consider whole curriculum Conduct a school curriculum audit Map out the Raincliffe curriculum ‘Core knowledge’ in geography comprises basic factual knowledge, vocabulary and the ability to locate, with a degree of accuracy, important places and human and physical features. The subject matter of geography is constantly evolving so core knowledge is essential if students are to make sense of the world around them and place their studies in a wider national, international or global context. This knowledge is only a small part of the geography curriculum, but it is essential in order for students to place what they are learning in a spatial context and to use appropriate geographical language. The majority of students, especially at Key Stage 3 in the weaker schools, had poorly developed core knowledge in geography. Their mental images of places and the world around them were often confused and lacked spatial coherence.

7. What to teach ? - 3 forms of geographical knowledge

8. Geography in the curriculum

9. The National Curriculum Review emphasises subject knowledge. It especially focuses on the 'core knowledge' of subjects. However, nowhere does the government say what is meant by 'core knowledge'. It confusingly uses 'core knowledge‘ interchangeably with 'essential knowledge'. It is clear, however, that subject 'essentials' do not express the full content of the curriculum. The Geographical Association (GA) is therefore holding a consultation on the curriculum. Specifically we want to explore the distinction between 'core knowledge' and the other forms of geographical knowledge. The ESRI presentation is designed to show a snapshot of the extent of geographical information, and how easy it is to access this these days. If not infinite in its extent, geographical information is a vast well of facts and figures, as well as place names and the earth's features. In itself, this information may not be thought of as knowledge – even if it is 'learned' by rote – but selections of these facts may become enabling knowledge when they become meaningful or relevant. To be fluent with selections of meaningful geographical information is to have geographical 'core knowledge'. Core knowledge

10. Key questions a.What is the place of such 'core knowledge' in geography lessons? b. How do we develop core knowledge in the classroom? c. What do we mean by 'core knowledge' and how is it different from 'information'? d. What role does core knowledge play in establishing geographical understanding? Core knowledge

11. Conclusion: is geography more than 'core knowledge'? Yes it is! Much more! But geography without 'core knowledge' is missing something crucial.

12. In Pairs What do recall about school geography, as you experienced it? What do you consider the ‘image’ of school geography? What do you think is the main contribution geography can make to the primary and secondary school curriculum? Identify one aspect of your undergraduate course that you think should /could be included or at least inform school geography. Do you think it would be possible to include this aspect/way of thinking geographically in the curriculum framework suggested by the GA? Discussion point

13. In Fours Share the outcomes of your paired discussion Then, What do you consider to be the key strengths of school geography? What do you believe to be its potential weaknesses or ‘Achilles heel’? Discussion point

14. Task Go to the library log onto a computer and complete the online questionnaire for the GA’s NC consultation Print your responses and bring them back to E111 for a plenary discussion

15. Do you agree with the GA’s attempt to distinguish ‘core’ knowledge from ‘content’ and the important role of ‘procedural’ knowledge of geography? Does these distinctions help to articulate geography’s contribution to education? Discuss your responses in groups – identify similarities and differences Brief feedback from the groups of four and perhaps some plenary discussion on issues raised by what they report back on and some of the issues arising Why the GA consultation matters What further questions arise? (these may not be possible to answer immediately!) Plenary