Q&A with Chloë Searl
Read our interview with one of our two 2025 Ordnance Survey Award recipients, Chloë Searl.
Chloë Searl is the recipient of the Ordnance Survey Award in recognition of excellence in geography education at the secondary level.
What role do you do now and how would you describe your work?
"I’m a field studies tutor and fieldwork consultant and advocate based on the Isle of Wight. I aim to teach students to appreciate the geography that is happening all around them and develop observational, research and enquiry skills that I hope will open doors for them in a variety of other subjects.
"I also run a website (theislandgeographer.co.uk) which offers free support, advice and resources to teachers looking to increase or improve the fieldwork experiences they offer their students."
What has been one highlight of your career, regardless of how big or small, so far?
"I consider myself extremely lucky to chair the Fieldwork and Outdoor Learning Special Interest Group at the Geographical Association. This means I get the chance to work with a fun bunch of brilliant fieldwork enthusiasts from all over the UK, all of whom volunteer their time selflessly to support the delivery of fieldwork in primary and secondary schools.
"Through that work we aim to create a strong advocacy voice for the continued inclusion of high quality fieldwork in curricula at all levels. They inspire me, and make me work ever harder for this common goal that we share."
What projects are you working on right now?
"The National Festival of Fieldwork is a project that I work on with a number of amazing colleagues. It is partly a celebration of everything about geography fieldwork but also advocacy for increasing the quantity and quality of fieldwork that learners engage with.
"The project signposts educators to resources, new ideas and support networks as well as celebrate fieldwork at learner level, through certificates and public recognition.
"It takes place in June and the numbers of students and teachers engaging with the Festival increases every year."
What three words would you use to describe your work?
"Every day’s unique."
What legacy do you hope you’ll leave?
"I hope to be in this field long enough to say that I have given more than one generation of teachers the confidence they needed to create more meaningful and memorable fieldwork opportunities for their students.
"I want fieldwork to become as common place in geography timetables as poetry is in English or as experiments are in science. In this regard there are some big challenges ahead but if geography fieldwork at school level is more secure when I retire than when I joined the profession I will be a very happy geographer."
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