Two GA Trustee vacancies open for nominations

A high-quality geography education is essential for future generations, as geography has a critical role in solving many of the global challenges we face.
The Geographical Association is looking for two new Elected Trustees to join its Board of Trustees from 1 September 2026.

Details and nomination form are here.

The Board of Trustees meets three times a year in Sheffield, London and online. It comprises 14 Trustees and has responsibility for providing strategic direction and sound governance for the Association.

Elected Trustees serve an initial four-year term with the possibility of continuing for a second term if supported by the Board. GA Trustee positions are not remunerated but travel and subsistence expenses are reimbursed. Nominees for the role of Elected Trustee must be members of the GA and will be asked to show that they actively uphold and support the aims, values and mission of the Association.

Trustees welcome the nominations of colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences that can strengthen and complement the existing Board of Trustees. 

For example, this might include those in their early/mid teaching career stage, school leaders, primary colleagues and/or those with experience of leading the geography programme of a MAT.

The deadline for the current round of nominations is Monday 4 May 2026. 

If you have any questions about being a GA trustee, please contact the current Chair of Trustees, Alastair Owens via a.j.owens@qmul.ac.uk.

A change of Chief Executive

This blog has traced the history of the GA's Governance, including the change to a structure which included a Chief Executive.

A recent important change was announced.

Alan Kinder is stepping down as Chief Executive after 11 years in the role. 

Alan’s last working day at the GA will be Thursday 21 December 2023. Best wishes of course to Alan for his new role, and heartfelt thanks for all that he has achieved in that time. This will be an interesting period for the GA. 

In a recent update in the Newsletter we learned:

Alan will be taking up a new, dual role early in 2024, as Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Studies Association and General Manager of RSA Europe.

During his time at the GA, Alan crafted two strategic plans (covering the periods 2014–19 and 2020–2025), led the successful implementation of the 2014–19 plan and ensured the GA further developed under its current strategic plan. 

This work focused on bringing geography teachers together, meeting their professional needs, raising the profile of the Association and advocating for high-quality geographical education. It underpinned a doubling of GA membership between 2012 and 2023 and significant growth in the number of schools and teachers engaged with the GA, particularly through its professional development events and social media activities.

Alan represented the GA and the interests of the geography teaching community on national and international stages throughout his time in post, providing expert advice to (amongst others) the Department for Education, Ofsted and Ofqual. 

Through his advocacy work and the extensive body of professional advice and support material he authored on behalf of the GA and its partner organisations, Alan exerted a considerable influence on the curriculum and professional practice we see in geography education today. His recent work to develop a GA Framework for the school geography curriculum will continue to shape the nature and scope of the geography curriculum in the years ahead.

GA Chief Executive Alan Kinder said:

“As a former teacher of geography, it has been the most enormous honour and privilege to have served as the GA’s Chief Executive for more than eleven years. This is a vibrant community, supporting a vital part of every young person’s education. 

Teachers of geography deserve the assistance of an independent subject association, focused squarely on their needs and interests, and I hope I have been able to play a role in representing and supporting teachers effectively during my time in post. 

As I begin to prepare for the exciting professional challenges that lie ahead for me, I’m confident that the GA will use its current strategy as a strong foundation for further progress in the years ahead.”

The search for Alan's replacement is underway.

In the meantime, the leadership of the Association will be shared amongst a number of people in important SLT roles at Solly Street along with several prominent volunteers (and former GA Presidents).

Professor Alastair Owens, the Chair of Trustees shared the news on the plans for continuity of leadership.

Interim leadership arrangements

I am delighted to announce that Elaine Anderson (Head of Publishing), Alex Forsyth (Finance and Operations Manager), and Becky Kitchen (Head of Professional Development) have agreed to share the responsibilities of the Chief Executive role until a new Chief Executive is in post. 

I am also pleased to share that John Hopkin, current Honorary Treasurer of the GA and a former President, has agreed to provide mentorship and support of the acting Chief Executive team, ensuring that there is co-ordination of their roles and responsibilities.

I am very grateful to Elaine, Alex and Becky for agreeing to provide leadership and continuity at this time of transition. Collectively they bring a wide range of skills, know the Association very well, and are already focused on the leadership and delivery of our strategic priorities. During their period of leadership any communications for the attention of the Chief Executive should be addressed to ChiefExec@geography.org.uk so that it can be allocated to the individual with relevant responsibilities.

I am also grateful to John who will bring great wisdom and longstanding GA experience to his advisory and mentoring role.

Search for a new Chief Executive

The GA’s Board of Trustees has established a search committee to oversee the appointment of a new Chief Executive. Following a selection process, the committee has recently contracted the recruitment agency Peridot to assist in this process. 

An advertisement and ‘job pack’ are currently being prepared and will be shared shortly; we encourage members to further share this with any individuals they think suited to the role. Please feel free to write to me at a.j.owens@qmul.ac.uk if you have suggestions for candidates. We hope to have the new Chief Executive in post by the summer of next year.

I am grateful to the entire GA community – our members, those who run our committees, special interest groups and branches, the dedicated staff who work in Sheffield, the trustees and our partners and collaborators – for their continued support and commitment during this period of transition. As we approach the end of the year, I wish everyone a restful and happy holiday period.

Prof Alastair Owens - Chair of Trustees, The Geographical Association

GA Governing Body vacancies for September 2023

 After four years as a trustee as part of my Presidential journey through the GA, my term in office comes to an end at the end of August 2023.

At the same time, there is also the end of a term of office for several other GA colleagues who I have worked with for the last four years. This means that there some vacancies on the GA's Governing Body, which is of course a good training ground for those who may have ambitions to become more involved with the Association and give back to the association and perhaps ultimately put themselves forward for Election for GA President.

There are actually four vacancies to be filled, which carry different responsibilities.

You can read more about them on the GA website page, and the links here.

Chair of Trustees

Honorary Treasurer

Elected Trustees

Co-opted trustee

For those who may have previously suggested that the GA and its Governing Body needs to become more inclusive and diverse, this is your opportunity!

Happy to answer any questions about the roles and the wider work of the GA's Governing Body if anyone is interested in finding out more.

I will blog my thanks to some of those people who are leaving GB later in the year...

GA Governing Body Vacancy - one week to go

One of the groups of people that operates to 'create' the GA and its day to day decision making and operations is the Governing Body. Members includs the Presidents during their period of office, Named Trustees and co-opted members as well as elected Trustees. 

The deadline is now the 8th of November.

1998: Martin Curry

Updated May 2021

Martin Curry was never the President of the GA, but was the first CEO of the Association.
This was a bold move, and one that changed the way that the GA was run, in terms of its structure.
It was mentioned by Rex Walford in a chapter in "Issues in Geography Education" (Fisher & Binns, Ed) (2000)



There was an interview with Martin published in the TES in April 1999.
It mentioned his background before taking up the job:

"Not that he knows that much about the mechanics of school-teaching, he admits cheerfully, as he has never had to do it himself."

A biography followed:

Martin Curry was born in Bollington, east Cheshire, in 1952. Educated at King Edward VI Grammar School in Macclesfield, he studied law at London University before spending three years as an articled clerk, culminating in his Law Society finals in 1976.

It was his legal training which got him his first paid environmental job as administrative officer for the Lincolnshire and South Humberside Trust.

But his big break came in 1982 when he became manager of Gibraltar Point nature reserve, south of Skegness. It was a good induction to the life of a reserve manager, combining solitude with total immersion in the local community. He also met his future wife Mary, known as Midge, who had replaced him at the Lincolnshire and South Humberside Trust. The pair moved to Yorkshire in 1987, where Mr Curry became head of information services at North York Moors National Park, responsible for visitors' centres and school services. From there they moved to the Scottish Deer Centre in Fife, to what was practically a joint appointment for the couple with Mr Curry as general manager and his wife as his assistant in the privately-owned park.

They moved to Rum in 1992 to take up what Mr Curry describes as "a dream job, something I had held as my ultimate ambition for 20 years". He has fond memories of the island, but decided to leave after Scottish Natural Heritage said it wanted to develop a sustainable community on Rum.
The Isle of Rum is a place I have also visited, and spent a week there working for the Scottish Nature Conservancy Council removing non-native rhododendrons and doing some painting in the castle.

The President of the GA at the time was Roger Carter, who said:
 "He may not have a background of teaching in schools, but he is clearly in tune with what is important to the GA in terms of his commitment to outdoor education, environment and sustainability."
Martin was also featured on the front cover of the 'GA News' in January 1999, with a picture and some further details.

He stayed in post for a short time before moving to another role, as outlined in this GA News piece:

Martin was eventually succeeded as Chief Executive by David Lambert in 2002. (PDF download)

References
https://www.tes.com/news/beyond-island-dreamsbriefingpeople

1977: a new Constitution

There are many elements to the structure of the organisation. These include the by-laws and the articles of association, governing body, as well as the terms by which committees operate. There is also a strategy document which guides thinking.
I have been involved in exploring these over the last year.
The constitution was a guiding document for some time, and any changes to this were a lengthy process.
In 1977, a new Constitution was approved at the AGM on the 6th of April.
It envisaged a governing Council with three standing committees: Education, Publications and Communications and Finance and General Purposes.
These were supported by Section Committees (I served on the Secondary version for many years).
There were 2 officers posts: Honorary Treasurer and 2 Honorary Secretaries.
The President was required to serve four years - two before and one after the Presidential year.
This model stayed until the present Junior Vice President, who will be the last to serve this model as it has not moved to a three year 'term of office' due to the appointment of a new Chair of Trustees.
One of the major changes was to put a period of time on the work of the officers, limiting it to 6 years.
This put an end to the previous situation where some individuals served for many decades, in some cases for most of their lives. This would now only be possible by changing Office. The Founders racked up over 50 years in some cases. This change was hotly debated at the time. The compulsory retirement of effective Officers was not agreed with by all. It was seen as a sign of the Association's strength and also ensured a lack of stagnation, and also saw a sign towards the Association being run by the active teacher membership to a greater extent.

More to come in tomorrow's post...