About the grants
Two grants, each of £1,000, will be awarded annually to each teacher-higher education team.
Deadline: 15 February
Apply now
Please read the application guidelines and send your application by email to grants@rgs.org.
Download guidelines
Previous recipients
2019: Dr Lisa Ficklin (Manchester Metropolitan University). 'Hazard toolkit for secondary geography teachers'
Working with Dr Billy Haworth, a lecturer in Disaster Management at the University of Manchester, a toolkit will be developed that focuses on the simulation of a disaster event from different actor perspectives in real time. Students will analyse data from images, GIS data and policy documents to produce a dynamic response strategy that responds to changes in the simulation. The aim is integration of physical and human geography through enquiry based learning and contextualised problem solving.
2019: Grace Healy (Hewett Academy). 'The 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): advice from the global South'
This project aims to create a unique resource for teachers that brings the experiences, politics and recommendations of people in the global South into classrooms in the global North. Working with Dr Jessica Hope (University of Bristol), interviews will be filmed with indigenous social movement leaders, conservationists and development workers in Bolivia that will help students engage critically with issues around SDGs, decolonization and climate change.
2017: Alan Parkinson (King's Ely Junior) 'Inspirational Places: Changing Places'
Working in partnership with Dr Peter Knight (Keele University), online resources will be created that support teachers in their understanding of key themes in the 'Changing Places' topic - the section of the A Level geography specification focusing on people's engagement with places and their experience of them. The resources will provide teachers with practical strategies for teaching and a bibliography of additional reading for exploration and research.
2016: Catherine Owen (King Alfred School, Somerset) 'Interactive tour of Kampala'
In partnership with Dr Kevin Cook (University of Northampton) the aim of this project is to develop an interactive tour of Kampala using GoPro footage, video and photographs to create a unique point of view tour. Exploring an interactive map of Kampala will enable students to evaluate the extent to which the Millennium Development Goals have been achieved. Students will be able to interact with the tour as a continuous transect of Kampala or interact with key moments.
2015: Raphael Heath (The Royal High School, Bath) 'Investigating the geography of crime'
The purpose of these resources are to provide teachers and students with the information and skills required to be able to conduct a sophisticated investigation into UK crime patterns using GIS mapping techniques using primary and secondary data. An interactive online version of this resource is available here.
2014: Alan Parkinson (King's Ely School) and Dr Benjamin Hennig (University of Oxford). 'LondonMapper: exploring a World city through Census Data'.
By focusing on London, this project provides a context which has national relevance, but is on a more manageable scale. A framework has been produced for using Census data and a range of visually stunning maps to support imaginative enquiry work, which will also extend students’ critical thinking as they explore the sprawling city of London.
The materials produced are hosted on the London Mapper website, and a teaching guide to using them can be found on the Society's GIS Educational Resources pages.
2014: Paul Turner (Sevenoaks School) and Dr Adam Dennett (University College London). 'CENTRISt (CENsus teaching ThRough gIS)'.
A scheme of work will be developed for sixth form students, which will allow them to learn new quantitative analysis and GIS skills through exploring the 2011 Census data, while also engaging with wider substantive and increasingly important themes such as the North/South Divide in the UK or widening inequalities between London/the South East and the rest of the UK at a variety of spatial scales.
Prior to 2014, the grant scheme offered different opportunities to individual teachers. Recipients included:
Rachel Atkins (Bristol Grammar School). 'Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) Templates - Interactive Geographers'. This project aimed to inspire teachers to use easily-adaptable IWB techniques for excellent teacher and student interaction.
Jo Debens (Priory School). 'International link between Priory School, UK and the Cape Fear Centre for Enquiry, USA. This project formed a link with the Cape Fear Centre for Enquiry in the USA, enabling students to explore and compare their personal geographies and explore how living near the coast affects their lives.
James Mutton (Featherstone High School). 'I-Pod Touch'. Using mobile technology inside and outside the classroom to enhance the delivery of geographical education.
Samantha Coulson: (William Farr CE School). 'Geography of Film - Scheme of Work'. This project explored geographical issues through the medium of film by giving context to theory. Using a variety of film clips pupils will investigate how film instils a sense of place, culture and change over time.