Today saw me head over to the University of Gloucestershire’s Francis Close Hall Campus in Cheltenham for a geography GIS day. GlosGeog, Gloucestershire’s local Geographical Association (GA) branch, had supported this event through sourcing input for two of the workshops and promotion. Whilst GlosGeog had been keen to organise a day earlier in the academic year, this was not feasible …
One for teachers before the end of Term 2
Another GlosGeog event before the end of Term 2, but this time aimed at teachers. We were very lucky to be able to secure Dr Rebecca Kitchen, Head of Professional Development at the Geographical Association (GA), to update us about Ofsted’s EIF and the Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR), contemplating what it means for geography. Becky had delivered an in …
A little variety for the last week of Term 6!
The last week of term for many, but no let up for me! Ron Richards asked if I would conduct an Online Safety Mark (OSM) assessment at Prince Henry’s High School in Evesham, Worcestershire (https://www.princehenrys.worcs.sch.uk/) and complete the follow-up report before the end of this academic year. So, today, I set off early, thankfully in slightly lower temperatures than of …
geography southwest’s annual conference comes to UWE!
How has a year passed by? It was time for geography southwest’s annual conference, once again hosted by the Department of Geography and Environmental Management at the University of the West of England (UWE) on the outskirts of Bristol (https://www.uwe.ac.uk/courses/find-a-course/courses-by-subject/geography-and-environmental-management). I had offered to support the organisers, Dr Harry West, Simon Ross and John Davidson, with welcoming delegates and registration, …
Online Safety Mark (OSM) assessment, Stroud High School (SHS), Gloucestershire
Time to conduct another Online Safety Mark assessment, and in situ! Today, I was off to Stroud High School (SHS) in Gloucestershire to meet the Head Teacher, Senior Leadership Team, teachers, administrative and technical staff, students, governors and parents/carers, to assess whether they had reached the benchmark standard in all 21 aspects of the 360 degree safe self-review tool …
‘Ensuring successful subject leadership in geography and history (EYFS to Year 6)’, David Weatherly Education
Yet again, another engaging, inspiring and informative CPD event delivered by David Weatherly, with input from Sheena Wright too, yesterday. Six and a half hours is a long time to sit at a screen and listen/watch, but David’s informal and chatty approach ensures that all are attentive and absorbed. Today’s training was a repeat of one that I attended earlier …
Online Safety Mark assessment (Hardenhuish School, Chippenham, Wiltshire)
Time for an Online Safety Mark assessment in situ … hooray! Restrictions imposed by Covid-19 over the past couple of years have meant that any Online Safety Mark assessments that I have completed have been done so virtually. However, it was great to be ‘back on the road’ again, meeting staff, governors, parents/carers and students and witnessing policy being put …
2022 FFT Education Datalab Virtual Research Conference
Well, it was rather pleasant to be able to sit back today and have no responsibility for steering an event or presenting, only contributing verbally or via the chat feed. Advertised as ‘2022 FFT Education Datalab Virtual Research Conference: Where Next? Unpacking the real impact of Covid-19 on our pupils, teachers and schools‘ (https://fft.org.uk/fft-datalab-conference-2022/), this event was really insightful and …
Primary Geography Quality Mark (PGQM) support
A rewarding hour or so for me this morning providing Primary Geography Quality Mark (PGQM) support to Emma Aldred-Tow, PPA teacher and Geography Subject Leader at Churchdown Village Junior School (CVJS) just outside the city of Gloucester (https://www.churchdownvillage-jun.gloucs.sch.uk/). The school is due to renew their PGQM (currently a Silver Award) and are now considering going for a Gold Award, bearing …
British Council: Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning (CCGL) – ‘Critical thinking and problem solving’ (Day 1)
‘Going virtual’ seems the way to go these days! Due to the success of previous training days and further interest/demand, I was asked if I would deliver a repeat of British Council: Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning (CCGL)’s ‘critital thinking and problem solving’ course via Zoom. The advantage of doing this is that teachers from all over the UK are …