Enhancing Geography Education with the Primary Geography Quality Mark
The Primary Geography Quality Mark (PGQM) plays a crucial role in enhancing standards in geographical learning for schools. By providing a powerful process of self-evaluation and reflection, the PGQM aims to engage, stimulate, and support teachers in improving curriculum planning, CPD, and overall delivery of geography education. Schools have reported a range of positive impacts, such as increased staff subject knowledge, improved engagement, and enhanced curriculum planning. Elworth CE Primary School's experience exemplifies how the PGQM drives quality learning by identifying areas for development and boosting teacher confidence.
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The leading subject association for all teachers of geography Primary Geography Quality Mark
Why the Quality Mark matters. The Quality Mark is a powerful process which aims to engage, stimulate and support as we improve standards in geographical learning across our school. A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. DfE (2013) The national curriculum in England. London DfE
PGQM Impact in schools 2022 Each year as part of the application process schools are asked to provide feedback on the impact of the quality mark process, the following were all mentioned multiple times: Raised the profile and allowed recognition, showcasing and celebration Improved systems of CPD Strengthened curriculum planning and empowered curriculum review Created focus on developing areas of weakness and highlighted development plan priorities Increased the explicit geographical content Raised awareness and understanding of broader geographical issues Improved engagement and enjoyment Improved resourcing Increased staff subject knowledge Triggered increase depth of planning and assessment Invigorated staff to engage in whole school initiatives Improved coverage and expectations Stimulated more memorable teaching Drove a change in perception of what geography is Raised expectations Increase the confidence of teachers
GQM: driving quality learning The QM will provide our school with the opportunity to: engage in a process of powerful self-evaluation and reflection asking: What geography is like in our school? , How do we know? and What can we do to improve standards? Completing the PGQM has helped to highlight the areas which the school needed to develop further, including how explicit the geography curriculum was in among the topic-based learning. It drove the change in planning structure to ensure that vocabulary and skills were at the heart of planning, rather than activity focused. In turn, this has boosted teacher confidence, supported their subject knowledge and helped increase overall progress and enjoyment of the subject across the school Elworth CE Primary school, 2022
GQM: driving quality learning The QM will provide our school with the opportunity to: raise the profile of geography across the whole school community, with parents, teachers, governors and students. Quarry Hill Primary School
GQM: driving quality learning The QM will provide our school with the opportunity to: engage in collaborative critical reflection of teaching, learning and subject leadership. Staff voice regarding planning support and the Geography curriculum Geography is very important for the children because we have a school where the children are from many different countries and cultures. It s essential for them to learn about each other and explore different places in their classroom setting. Learning basic skills for younger children is also really important and Geography covers a lot of these such as directions, instructions and tolerance. Having E as Year Group Leader has really helped with our Geography subject knowledge. Kids are really engaged and got into the Fieldwork topic. They are always eager to explore and are fascinated by Google Earth and maps. (NQT Teacher) (LKS2 Teacher) Yes I do feel supported. The planning process for earthquakes and volcanos went really well. We spoke to Emma and she condensed the relevant information and told us what we needed to focus on The children are definitely engaged in Geography. Our assessments show great progress which shows that the children enjoy learning. (LKS2 Teacher) (KS1 Teacher) (KS1 Teacher) Yes I do feel supported. Whenever I have had a question it has always been answered with great detail, passion and depth. History and Geography are the children s favourite subjects. They look forward to the new topic and engage with work and displays. Geography is important as most of our kids don t get out of the area so it s important for them to learn and visit other places through Geography Fieldwork. It also helps the world. Children are so engaged in the subject that they have taken on their own geographical projects at home. (KS2 Teacher) (KS2 Teacher) (NQT Teacher) (NQT Teacher) Yes I feel Geography is important to children because it gives the children a sense of belonging in the world. It is really important to learn about Geography. It s a learning curve for both students and teachers. (LKS2 Teacher) We have covered the impact of natural disasters and the children found this really interesting as it gives them an insight into events that maybe do not happen in our country. AR loves going out and exploring the local environment. It makes Geography real for him. (1:1 SEND support) (KS2 Teacher) (KS2 Teacher) Curwen Primary School
GQM: driving quality learning The QM will provide our school with the opportunity to: undertake impactful and rigorous CPD meeting the 2016 standard for teacher s professional development. South Farnham School
GQM: driving quality learning The QM will provide our school with the opportunity to: join over 1000 successful Geography Quality Mark schools forming an international network supported by the GA.
GQM: driving quality learning The QM will provide our school with the opportunity to: gain a prestigious award, highly valued by school leaders nationally and internationally, allowing the dissemination and celebration of standards and geographical learning. Newspaper articles celebrating Britannia Bridge Primary school receiving Silver award (17.09.19)
The process The Quality Mark is a collaborative and professional process that will enable us to assess whether we have reached a recognised standard in the teaching and learning of geography and to identify areas where this can be improved. There are four main steps for us to go through as a school: Registration and Reflection Auditing and Action planning using the GA framework Developing action points and Gathering evidence Submit application
Registration and Reflection Upon registration we received a copy of the PGQM Key Indicators framework and access to a wealth of supporting material form to aid us as we reflect on what constitutes high quality geographical learning, our school s vision for this is and how to realise it. What do we want geographers to be like in our school? What do we want geography to look like in our school? Begin with the End in Mind. Envision what you want in the future so you can work and plan towards it. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey.
Examples of key indicators Section Example criteria Example evidence A. What is the quality of geography education like? 1 i) VISION:The geography curriculum articulates a shared vision for geography and takes account of the school s local context, substantive, procedural and disciplinary geography. Subject vision statement Scope and sequence documentation Geography policy B. How does geography education shape behaviour, attitudes and values? i) VALUES: Geography creates an effective learning environment, where teacher-pupil relationships are good and the subject is enjoyed and valued. Photographs of classroom and corridor displays, playground decals and maps, Resource audit including examples of how they enhance learning and engage and support learners Pupils learning outcomes that demonstrate passionate engagement or respectful challenge Pupil and staff end of topic/year feedback/voice Examples of range of pupil learning outcomes Images of pupils engaged in learning, including, debate, role-play, fieldwork, discussion or other forms of active learning. 2 i) CONCEPTS: Geographical concepts, including: place, space, time, diversity and scale are explored. A. What is the quality of geography education like?
Developing action points and Gathering evidence We will now be in a position to implement our action plan, raising standards of geography provision and gather a cross-section of evidence in support of our Quality Mark submission. Evidence can include: Examples of pupil work Schemes of work Teaching resources Policy documents Websites and social media Photos of displays Published resources Evidence of collaboration with other schools or organisations hosting and leading sessions Cross-curricular learning School wide initiatives Lesson observations Ofsted reports Data Photos and videos of learning Pupil and staff voice Instances of CPD; including
Submit application Once we have gathered in all of the supporting evidence and curated it into a portfolio we will submit it to the GA. Each application will be carefully assessed and moderated by the GA s team of experts who will both celebrate the successes and offer advise to stimulate further improvement. Pupils at St Richard's Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale, Silver PGQM awardees 2022 We will be awarded our certificate at the start of the next academic year enabling us to celebrate our achievements with the school community and give geography a further boost as we look to build on the successes of your application.
