Curriculum and assessement review
In preparing this response to the Government's , we consulted with our members who are primary and secondary geography teachers and school members; academic geographers and heads of the ca. 70 geography departments in UK higher education institutions; professional members (employees and employers drawing value from geographical skills and knowledge in the workplace); the Society’s committees for Education, Research and Higher Education; and Professional Practice; and the broader full membership. We worked closely with other sector bodies and associations, notably the Geographical Association.
In this response we signal the value of a geographical education for all young people, the strengths of the current provision, and areas in need of attention for the geography curriculum.
We offer our support to the next stage of the review – the subject deep-dives. We would be pleased to convene an expert working group(s) with the Geographical Association, to make specific evidence-based recommendations.
Summary of our key points
The current statutory entitlement to education in geography is a strength of the UK educational system and it must be retained. Geography is the core subject through which young people learn about issues such as globalisation, development, sustainability, resilience, interdependence, inequality and climate change. Geography enables the development of world knowledge and a ‘sense of place’. Geography provides students with significant insight into the world of today – what is happening and why – and equips them to develop and evaluate potential solutions to pressing global challenges.
Geography is a subject that develops young people’s curiosity and helps them to apply that curiosity and learning in real-world contexts. This place-based real-world focus of geography is a strength. It can foster a sense of agency in the place the students are starting from. It also builds skills of problem solving and critical thinking and understanding of what constitutes evidence, alongside the ability to critically evaluate information and to develop informed judgements.
While we support calls to embed the teaching of climate change across the curriculum, Climate change education must remain anchored in geography. Geography is unique in its capacity to teach students about why and how climate change is happening, what the impacts of this are on places and people from a range of backgrounds, and how these impacts can be mitigated. It is one of few subjects that are also able to explore issues like climate anxiety, political influence and climate action.
Geography does (and should) teach young people about the UK and the wider world and the interconnections and dependencies between them. It is a subject through which students can see themselves in the curriculum and explore the ways in which they can have impact and make a difference. It supports young people to thrive and become well-rounded citizens, who appreciate the diversity and pluralism of our society, and to understand their own agency. This is essential to shaping a fairer, just and more inclusive society at local to global scales, for both people and the environment.
Place-based understanding is important. It enhances young people’s ability to make connections from local to global, to understand solutions, and to feel a greater sense of agency in the place they are starting from. It equips students to recognise differential impacts of policies on communities, sectors and regions; and to acknowledge the global context and key drivers of change.
Geography is a subject that delivers both STEM and SHAPE ways of thinking, skills and insights. Importantly this includes core communication (literacy and oracy), digital, numeracy and data skills. At GCSE, geography is the core/anchor social science subject. It is essential in the delivery of a broad and balanced curriculum. Its position in the EBacc must be retained.
The requirement for young people to do fieldwork, and to have structured learning in and out of the classroom and experience the outdoors, is essential and should feature at all stages of the National Curriculum and at GCSE and A Level (and in other relevant post-16 pathways). Fieldwork is a powerful mode of learning which delivers an array of skills, behaviours and capabilities. For some students it is particularly stimulating and enjoyable, providing them with the foundation and motivation to pursue lifelong learning. Research shows that time spent outdoors and with nature is directly linked to benefits for health and wellbeing. More curriculum time needs to be given to higher quality fieldwork experiences and creative, critical thinking: to prepare students for their time in the field and to give them time to reflect on the experience and what they learnt.
Geography develops skills of enquiry and analysis, including those in the use and analysis of geospatial (location) data. These must remain integrated into the curriculum and specifications with more support for teachers. Geography provides a rich context for the development of numeracy, data and digital skills in schools. The ability to reason with numbers is an essential feature of life in the 21st century: vital for the economy, for our society and for us as individuals. Such skills are key for employability, notably for a greener and more digital economy. An understanding of spatial (location) data is crucial to interpret, understand and problem-solve current day issues. The use and analysis of spatial data and Geographic Information Science (GIS) underpin modern life, enabling the logistics which keep supermarket shelves stocked, efficient farming, keep shipping and aircraft moving and facilitating the work of every government department and public body. The Geospatial Commission estimate that smarter use of such data will unlock £11 billion. Geography is the school subject where the GIS experts of the future (geographers, data scientists, engineers, designers etc) will encounter this technology for the first time.