TES piece on GCSE Natural History

This TES piece includes some elements of the responses to the  consultation on the proposed subject content of the new GCSE Natural History from the RGS and the GA.

Steve Brace of the GA is quoted in the piece on some of the elements of the GA's response to the consultation.

These include concerns over the shortage of teachers who might teach the new specification, and the fieldwork elements of the course. The fieldwork may be difficult for some schools due to their location, but may also adversely affect the habitats that students are being asked to investigate.

The GA's new Strategy 2026-2031

Every five years the Geographical Association releases a new Strategy.

I was involved in the creation of the previous strategy during my time as GA Vice President and President. It involves the Governing Body.

More than ever, young people need to be geographically literate in order to respond positively to a world of changing challenges and opportunities.

Geography helps young people better understand their world and how to successfully live within it.

The Geographical Association’s (GA) strategy for 2026–31 responds to these challenges. We will focus on three priorities:

• Advocating for the value of geography
• Supporting teachers
• Supporting the next generation of geographers

Read the full document from the link on this page.

There is a new Vision and Purpose.

Alice Coleman's Second Land Use Survey - now online

I previously posted about work carried out by Bruce Mitchell to make the maps from the 2nd land use survey available on the National Library of Scotland's website.

The following section of text is taken from the 60th anniversary 'history' of the GA's Thanet Branch, written by Derek Wilson. Available to download from the GA website.

The first Land Utilisation Survey of Britain was a comprehensive survey of land use in Great Britain in the 1930s. This survey was the first such comprehensive survey in Britain since the Domesday Book survey in the 11th Century.
Dudley Stamp, reader and later professor of geography at the London School of Economics instigated the survey. Preliminary experimental work was done in 1929, the survey got going in earnest in 1930 and most of the field work was completed in the field season of 1931.
In the 25 years since the Land Utilisation Survey was carried out in East Kent, many changes, both urban and rural, took place in the intervening period. Two members of the committee of the GA's Thanet branch (Alice Coleman and Ken Maggs) felt an urge to record an up-to-date picture and ambitiously planned a survey of nearly 500 square miles, i.e. the area of East Kent. 

Eleven other members gave their assistance with the project and it was completed in mid 1959. 

Alice Coleman was invited to give a lecture on the results at the Geographical Association’s National Conference in January 1960.

Then began a period of constructive activity. Alice Coleman and Ken Maggs illustrated and the IOTGA published a 32 page handbook. This handbook, which cost 2s 6d (in old money), had to be reprinted 3 times due to demand and orders were received as far afield as Sweden, Ontario and Pakistan.

Alice Coleman's survey employed a much more detailed classification than Stamp's in both urban and rural areas, giving 64 categories grouped into 13 groupings. 

Keen and competent geographers welcomed the project whole-heartedly. There was a reaction in a few quarters that it was almost incredulous that a single Geographical Association could aspire to so much. 

Indeed, the parent Geographical Association declared that it was impossible for such a project to be undertaken by a branch and their first impulse was to take it over themselves. Fortunately, its ultimate decision proved favourable in that it acceded to the request by the IOTGA not to take the survey over and to offer any unofficial help within its power. 

The Royal Geographical Society was most gracious in granting help. Its distinguished platform was offered to Alice Coleman for a lecture in March 1960 and its exhibition gallery was devoted to a display on Land Use for several weeks.

Around 3000 volunteers completed much of the field work covering some 90% of England and Wales. 

Several members of the Isle of Thanet Geographical Association contributed to this national survey. 

They included: Pam Dunford, Clare Lukehurst, Ken Maggs, P Mitchel, Mr and Miss Palin, Janet Pigg and Miss G Brand and Marjorie Woodward covering the areas Fordingbridge, Mitcham and the Isle of Purbeck, Croyden and Edenbridge, Ashford in Kent, Exmoor and Cranbrook respectively.

The Nature Conservancy provided the salaries of two full-time surveyors to map the vegetation in the the remote moorland areas. Funds for preparing maps for the printer were granted by University College, Swansea and the Pantyfedwyn Trust. These totalled £1000. The evolving printing fund, which was so generously opened by Professor Stamp’s gift of £2000 was augmented by Broadstairs, Deal and Ramsgate Councils and by the School which mapped the Princes Risborough Sheet. Secretarial, postage and other expenses were met by Professor Stamp and Alice Coleman, whilst the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth provided secretarial and administrative expenses for the Welsh Regiona Organiser.

Unfortunately, coverage of only around 10% of the country was published at 1:25,000 due to printing problems (only 115 sheets had been completed when the programme was suspended in 1977). 

Nevertheless published sheets included the whole of Greater London and industrial Thames-side, giving a snapshot of London at its peak as a centre of manufacturing. The handing down of tradition demanded the printed word. 

This was one of the principal aims of “Panorama”. It was hoped to record the Isle of Thanet Branch activities of the Geographical Association, particularly the results of research projects and to make them available to build on further in future years.

The actual printing of the first volume was undertaken by the members themselves. A type-setting party was set up to deal with the exacting task. The printing squad included Alice Coleman, Marjorie Woodward, Peggy Hopkins, Mrs Greig, John Lane, Alan Simmons, Michael and John Cuckney, Vera Wiggett, Carol Coatman, A Check, A Neve, Mary Tully, Mary Towes, J Frier, Linda Beecham, Carol Mizon, Kathleen Cunningham and Ken and Mrs Maggs.

During the decade, there were 11 volumes printed; volumes 1 to 4 were edited by Ken Maggs, volumes 5 to 8 by Clare Lukehurst, Volume 9 by John Evans, volume 10 by Alice Coleman and volume 11 jointly by Alice Coleman and Prof WGV Balchin. 

We are looking for copies of Panorama magazines to complete a collection. Some are proving difficult to track down.

Here's the one of Ely, showing the site of my school buildings, which didn't exist at the time, as they started to be added in the 1970s.

If anyone has any copies of the missing 'Panorama' magazine issues, please get in touch.

Curriculum and Assessment Review - the report and DfE response

We finally have the outcome of the Curriculum and Assessment Review with the publication of the final report today. Many thousands of educators have been waiting for months.

In July 2024, the government commissioned Professor Becky Francis CBE to convene and chair a panel of experts to conduct the Curriculum and Assessment Review.

The report has taken on board the many consultation responses from individuals and organisations.

These are available in a summary document which is separate to the main final report - this is also worth looking at.

The RGS's original response to the call for consultation is here. It was referenced in the final report, along with the GA's, and reports from UCL's Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education.

The report has been almost a year in the making, and runs to 197 pages.

The recommendations for Geography are as follows:

We recommend that the Government: 

Makes minor refinements to the Geography Programmes of Study and GCSE subject content to respond to the issues identified, including by: 

• Refining content to support progression better to further study, deepen children and young people’s understanding of key geographical concepts, make content more relevant and inclusive, and remove unnecessary repetition across topics. 

• Embedding disciplinary knowledge more explicitly at Key Stage 3, such as geographical enquiry, spatial reasoning, use of digital tools, human  geography and use of evidence, to ensure all children and young people have access to high-quality geographical education. 

• Clarifying and reinforcing requirements for fieldwork to demonstrate its role more effectively in supporting content and the developing of disciplinary knowledge, ensuring changes remain proportionate and inclusive. 

Embeds climate change and sustainability more explicitly across different key stages, including across the physical geography, geographical applications and human geography sections of the curriculum, ensuring early, coherent, and more detailed engagement with climate education. This should be done without risking curriculum overload. 

There is also an element of media literacy here for climate change education in particular, where there is a lot of misinformation and disinformation. There is a need for pupils to be aware of AI and its value and issues.

There is also mention of the need for diversity and for all students to "see themselves in the curriculum" - something which I was particularly keen to see.

And these will ultimately form part of changes to the national curriculum (will this be compulsory for all schools?) and GCSE subject criteria. These will be consulted on again and no changes will happen before 2028 in any case.

On the purpose of the review itself:

National curriculum content must be kept up to date, fit for purpose and reflective of the needs of wider society. Periodic holistic reviews of the national curriculum are therefore essential for ensuring these aims are achieved, as well as for maintaining overall curriculum coherence. Reviews are also a valuable mechanism for addressing curriculum shape in the round. Reviews can evaluate whether the breadth and depth of different subjects and their content remains appropriate, as well as determining the overarching aims of schooling and the time needed for the different activities required to meet these aims. Reviews can also address the build-up of content in particular areas to ensure that the curriculum remains deliverable for teachers and ambitious for students.

The Oak National Academy is also mentioned as being further involved in the development of curriculum materials which are up to date.

The DfE has responded to the Curriculum review and that is published here. This is just over 60 pages long and has a little more useful detail on the implications.

We agree with the Review that the national curriculum and the resources that support it, should reflect our modern society and diverse communities. Our aim is for the curriculum to be both a mirror, in which every child can see themselves and their communities reflected, and a window through which every child is connected to the world beyond their existing horizons and perspectives

On the topic of GCSE Natural History

Equipping children and young people to thrive in a rapidly changing world therefore means enabling them to understand and meet the global challenge that climate change presents. We will take the opportunity to enhance the climate education content which is already present in the national curriculum, in the subjects of geography, science and citizenship. We will also include sustainability within the design and technology (D&T) programme of study and sustainable practices within the citizenship primary curriculum. We agree with the Review that key concepts on climate education should be introduced earlier in the curriculum and will ensure that the relevant programmes of study contain this at primary level. We also want to go further on this and ensure that more people can engage with and develop respect for the natural world.

 
We will therefore consult on the subject content for the natural history GCSE, as confirmed earlier this year.

The Review noted that changes to curriculum content are only part of the picture and that teaching also has an important part to play through the use of climate-related examples and resources to teach existing curriculum content. The National Education Nature Park, funded by DfE, has a website which hosts free resources and activities for all education phases across a wide range of subjects. These are aligned to the curriculum and quality assured by experts, giving educators trusted information that allows them to teach about sustainability and climate change with confidence, in subjects where climate education is a core part of the curriculum content and in other subjects.

On the topic of Geography

We agree with the Review that the subject does not need significant change, and we will update and refine the programme of study and GCSE subject content with modest changes, to support pupils and teachers. As recommended, changes will support a better understanding of the disciplinary requirements in the national curriculum and in the GCSE, ensure the content is updated where needed, including in relation to climate education, and clarify and integrate the fieldwork requirements. We will also improve the GCSE subject content to support better progression, deepen understanding and remove unnecessary repetition across topics.

Some videos have also been produced on LinkedIn featuring Becky Francis.

"We will follow the curriculum principles of coherence, subject mastery and depth – making sure that programmes of study and subject content are grounded in relevant and important knowledge and disciplinary skills."

A document with some notes I put together today has been shared on Scribd. See the bottom of the post.

Others have shared their thoughts on LinkedIn, or Substack (such as Mark Enser).

There will also be a fully digital and easily navigable version of the national curriculum - we will create a rich, connected online version of the curriculum which visually represents the links within and between subject areas and gives connections to prior learning, helping teachers to contextualise learning across traditional subject boundaries in the classroom. 

Some final initial thoughts:

When a long-awaited Government document such as this appears there will be lots of different perspectives on it: from teachers to senior leaders, to those working in Trusts (who will need to adapt what they teach). 

As the Review recommends, we intend to retain a single national curriculum which serves as a core entitlement which every pupil can access. We are legislating through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill so that academies will be required to teach the refreshed national curriculum alongside maintained schools. This will ensure that parents and carers have certainty over the core concepts in their child’s education and that there is a floor beneath which this cannot slip. The national curriculum is not the entire curriculum but an underpinning of what every child is entitled to know, which schools build on locally. Schools will continue to remain responsible for deciding how their school curriculum brings those core concepts to life in their choices of historical events, physical and human geography, and novels, for example. This will allow them to create dynamic learning environments where pupils can flourish. 

From those who feel too much has changed to those who don't think the changes have gone long enough.

Some involved in climate change education will be pleased to see it referenced several times, others will feel it doesn't go far enough.

Some commentators e.g. the Daily Mail will see it's mentions of diversity, social justice and students 'seeing themselves in the curriculum' as lacking the 'rigour' that was promised in the previous iteration. 

Some will say that achieving the aims for some will be possible, but not perhaps 'for all'?

Some will ask where the money is coming from.

Some will focus on the assessment element of the review and question

Some will delve into the data that was included in the review and question some of the findings.

Some will be interested in the wording of "nature and adventure".

Some will ask about the continuing lack of take-up for GIS despite the availability of free tools such as ArcGIS and its related apps.

Some will be thinking about the place of AI in this...

Some will be considering the powerful pedagogies (echoing the work of Margaret Roberts) that are required to turn the words on the page of new documentation into the enacted curriculum. I've written about that before.

"Music excites when it is performed" - Benjamin Britten

Some will say nothing today as there is much to emerge over the next two years ahead of any impact in schools.

Some will wonder about the impact on option numbers and job security, or the state of the teaching workforce.

Some will not know any of this is happening because they're getting on with the day job... and that's fine...

What are you thinking?

Here's an implementation timeline...

Pearson are one of the Awarding bodies, and they have responded already.

Others will respond over the coming months.

The RGS and the GA will swing into action once things become clearer to support geography teachers through the changes ahead.

Thanks in advance to everyone who is going to be involved in that work.

Curriculum and Assessment Review Report by Alan Parkinson

Green Skills Report from the GA

A new report from the Geographical Association in time for Green Careers week.

Geography shapes who we are, how we view the world and how we live within it. It enhances everyone’s learning, livelihoods and lives, and has a vital role to play in supporting the next generation to develop their green skills.

Geography and Green Skills aims to highlight:

• how geography enhances young people’s understanding of climate change and sustainability and develops their environmental awareness and green skills
• the good practice of schools and the perspectives of employers and industry sectors
• the future opportunities and challenges for geography, and where further action is needed.

There is also an accompanying Powerpoint presentation.

An overview of recent consultations

Part of the GA's work is to advocate for geography with Government. The forthcoming Curriculum Review is one such occasion.

This is an overview from the 400+ responses that the GA received. Thanks to all those who took the time to get in touch.

You can read more here.

The RGS is holding its own consultation currently.

Feel free to join in with this one too please.

Steve Brace on the value of fieldwork

Over the years Chief Executives of the GA have engaged with newspapers and had letters published at various time.

If you missed yesterday's Guardian (as I do out of term time), here's the letter from Steve Brace on the importance of fieldwork...

Denise on the move

Denise Freeman has now completed the first third of her GA Presidency for 20223-4.

She said:

Advocating for geography education sits at the heart of what the GA stands for and what we do as a community. As President I have placed advocacy at the centre of my work. Over the current academic year I will be travelling to different parts of the UK and meeting those involved in all stages of geography education.

As part of the Presidential cycle I am currently a trustee of the GA. Being a trustee is a great way to actively support and contribute to the Association. I am currently busy working with other trustees to recruit our next Chief Executive.

Another aspect of ‘life at the GA’ is the great work and dedication shown by our special interest groups and phase committees. Over the past term, I have been privileged to attend many meetings for these groups. Thank you to all the volunteers who give up their time to support the Association through these groups and their activities.

Finally, as we head into 2024, my attention is increasingly turning to our Annual Conference. The theme is ‘Geography for Everyone’ and I can’t wait to explore this with all who attend. Do get your early bird tickets here.

A special ESRI StoryMap has been created to trace her travels to various parts of the country: north, south, east and west.

Fieldwork - OFQUAL consultation

“Fieldwork is the best and most immediate means of bringing the two aspects of the subject (i.e. a body of knowledge and a distinctive method of study) together in the experience of the pupil. Therefore, fieldwork is a necessary part of geographical education; it is not an optional extra”  

(Bailey, 1974)

Over the years I've been part of many consultations and responses to consultations from the GA and also in a personal capacity. 
Over the years the GA and other bodies have had to fight to keep aspects of the subject, indeed the whole subject itself, on the curriculum.
Many consultations receive a low number of responses.
This often plays to those who want to skew the result in a particular way by saying "look, there's no real opposition to this in the responses to the consultation".
OFQUAL has a consultation running until the 16th of July. TAKE PART!

This consultation is on the content and running of the 2021 Exams for GCSE, AS (which nobody really does anymore) and A levels. There are some suggested changes which are being consulted on.



Here is the bit that is important for us as geographers.

A look at the annex shows that the History GCSEs have had their content slimmed down - sometimes losing quite a lot of content, but Geography has just had the fieldwork element removed.

If fieldwork goes, then there is a great possibility that it will be lost forever, and if we have "done without it" the expectation will be that we can continue to "do without it".

The wording could perhaps be adapted so that the requirement to carry out fieldwork "beyond the school gates" is removed - there are options for fieldwork on the school grounds, or in the immediate area, or using secondary data more substantially. Or remove the requirement for it to be assessed in quite the way that it is currently, or perhaps as an alternative to a part of the course, that those schools who had already carried out fieldwork could opt for.

It is very important that fieldwork is retained. Remove other course content to free up time but keep one of the key elements of geographical study, and one which so many other former and indeed present Geographical Association Presidents have championed and fought for in decades past.
From Geoffrey Hutchings, to Patrick Bailey, to Nick Lapthorn and Gill Miller (and others) the GA has led on a whole range of fieldwork projects. The GA has a stategic partnership with the GA, showing the value placed on fieldwork. August 2015-16 saw the Year of Fieldwork.
During the summer the 2nd edition of my new book on 'Fieldwork through Enquiry' - a 2nd edition of the popular book co-written with John Widdowson will be published.

Virtual experiences are not fieldwork...
Chris Durbin's quote remains important here: "virtual fieldwork is like a virtual pint of beer~....


Add your voice to keep fieldwork.
For ideas for local and school-based fieldwork check out the GA's Geography from Home section of the website.

This blogpost represents my personal views.
The Geographical Association is also responding to the consultation and recommending to other geography teachers that they do the same.
Here's Alan Kinder's view in the TES