Celebrating quality geography ‘Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligent effort.’ (John Ruskin 1819 – 1900)

Why celebrate? To recognise the good work that you are doing To appreciate the difference you are making for your pupils To gain recognition for your work To make yourselves feel good …AND WHY NOT?!

Opportunities for revitalising the curriculum

Opportunities to demonstrate the power of Living Geography

Opportunities to celebrate geography as one of humanity’s big ideas

Time for a different view of what you can achieve?

Recognition is important

Celebration and recognition: The Secondary Geography Quality Mark SGQM Is self-reflective and self-evaluative Mirrors the SEF Is a collaborative process Helps to identify priorities Promotes the celebration of strengths Is nationally recognised and supported

Comment from schools… ‘…..We have always had an open mind as to what we teach and how we teach, preferring innovation and change to stagnation and repetition. So when we had the chance to pilot SGQM we knew we were undertaking a process of national importance – a sense of setting off into the unknown.’

‘Personal and professional challenge combined at a time of great change in what and how we were teaching. …….. A thorough overhaul of our lessons was needed and SGQM came at just the right time to establish whether the department was on the right tracks.’ ‘A valuable, reflective process of continuous improvement’ Comment from schools…

“The process of applying in itself helps you and your department to take a step back and look at what you are doing. It also gives you a personal satisfaction that you have been nationally recognised as a geography teacher / department.” Paul Hunt, St Peter’s High School “The school has had good publicity too - an article was featured on us achieving the SGQM in the local press and this clearly is beneficial to the school. I also think it gives pupils and community partners confidence in what we are aiming to do and are actually achieving.” Sally Sumner, Bury C of E High Comment from schools…

Administration costs (compare with INSET course costs) Small schools <750 pupils - £200 Medium schools pupils - £300 Large schools >1200 pupils - £400 'This is self-run CPD par excellence, for evidence from training evaluations shows that the one-off day, run by no-matter-how-inspiring a speaker, is generally found less effective as CPD than that where teachers themselves are the active participants, engaged in working on a relevant topic'. (Quote from Advisory Teacher)

Summary: Planning, preparing and applying for the award 1. Subject leader and department complete self- evaluation to establish the level which best describes the quality of geography in school 2. This provides a visual overview and helps to identify areas of development. 3. An action plan is produced. 4. Register with the GA and pay the appropriate fee 4. Begin working for the SGQM at any time. 5. Describe and explain evidence for each criterion 6. Submit evidence December/May

Next Steps Register your interest Gain support through the SGQM VLE with access to all Quality Mark CPD Web-based programme available to support the SGQM process Embark on the SGQM process

Chartered Geographer

Further recognition with the TLA possible L1 & L2

Activity 1.What areas of your department’s work deserves recognition. Why? 2.Write a 250 word press release that celebrates the work that you do. 3.Use the press release to produce your own Manifesto – A Different View - for Geography at your school.