Last week, I headed up north for the Geographical Association (GA) Annual Conference and Exhibition held at Sheffield College City Campus from 8th to 10th April 2026. The current GA President, Catherine Owen, had selected the theme, ‘Geography makes a difference‘. What a jam-packed and invigorating three days it was! Not only did I manage to catch up with many …
Time for another Primary Geography Subject Leader Network (PGSLN) meeting!
A busy couple of weeks ahead for me, engaging with over 60 schools, either virtually or in situ, as part of the first round of Primary Geography Subject Leader Network (PGSLN) meetings this academic year. Due to Sandra Parker’s growing commitments at GLOSSI (Gloucestershire’s School Improvement Service), the baton for oversight of primary geography has now been handed to the …
What a fantastic fieldwork week at North Nibley C of E Primary School, Gloucestershire!
Following the successful submission of a Frederick Soddy Schools Award application (https://www.rgs.org/in-the-field/grants/teacher-grants/frederick-soddy-schools-award), North Nibley C of E Primary School were fortunate to receive sufficient funding to facilitate a fieldwork week for all 110 pupils from EYFS to Year 6. The Headteacher, Mr Steve Hodgkinson, and myself met together via Zoom and corresponded by e-mail several times prior to the week …
Twilight CPD session (Oliver Tomkins C of E VA Schools)
This afternoon, it was the turn of staff at Oliver Tomkins C of E VA Schools in Swindon, Wiltshire, to receive some twilight training. Having previously worked with their Geography and History Subject Leaders and had lengthy discussions with the Headteacher, I had a clear insight into their current whole school geography and history curricula, plus cohort and surroundings. Between us, we …
Time for another twilight CPD
This afternoon, it was the turn of staff at Bretherton Endowed C of E Primary School, close to Chorley in Lancashire, to receive some twilight training. Having previously worked with their Geography Subject Leader and had lengthy discussions with the Headteacher, I had a clear insight into their current whole school geography curriculum, plus cohort and surroundings. Between us, we …
GlosGeog’s Secondary Geography Teach Meet is a success!
Following GlosGeog’s successful virtual Primary Teach Meet in mid-April, it was decided to run a similar event for local secondary school teachers, ECTs and trainees. The Balcarras Trust, where one of the county’s Teaching School Hubs is also based (https://www.balcarras.gloucs.sch.uk/), kindly offered to host GlosGeog’s Secondary Teach Meet, which was attended by myself and Peter Vujakovic, GlosGeog Committee members, alongside …
Enhancing cultural diversity in history and geography (EYFS to Year 6)
Time for me to be trained! I attended a similar event that David Weatherly and Sheena Wright delivered last year, but it only focused on EYFS. Whilst there was a little overlap today, it was good to be able to consider this important theme across all Key Stages. David is a School Improvement Adviser and an accomplished teacher at all …
Bespoke CPD (Part 2)!
It was, once again, time to reconvene with the History Subject Leader at Lawrence View Primary and Nursery School in Eastwood, Nottingham (https://www.lawrenceviewprimary.co.uk/) to continue our discussions around their whole school curriculum map for the subject. Following our previous session, the History Subject Leader had revisited my suggested websites, resources and ideas. I was really impressed with the progress that she …
Time to put my history hat on!
It was time to draw on my experience of teaching across the humanities today; some bespoke CPD with a history stance. I had previously worked with the Geography Subject Leader at Lawrence View Primary and Nursery School in Eastwood, Nottingham (https://www.lawrenceviewprimary.co.uk/) and her colleague, with responsibility for history, approached me to see if I could spend some time looking at …
Bespoke CPD, part 2!
Well, it was time for another bespoke CPD session with staff at St. William’s Catholic Primary School in Wigan, Lancashire (https://www.saintwilliams.wigan.sch.uk/). I received an e-mail a couple of weeks’ ago requesting ‘…. could we please look at what we have been working on since our first meeting (long-term overview and sequencing of it, enquiry and auxiliary questions) and then also …