About Catherine
As a teacher in 11-18 comprehensive schools in the South West of England for over 30 years, 26 of these as Head of Geography, Catherine has a great deal of experience of teaching and middle leadership. She still teaches for 4 days a week. As well as being a Chartered Geographer (Teacher) with the RGS-IBG, she is also a Geographical Association (GA) Consultant and took on the role of GA President in 2025/26. Catherine chose the Presidential theme of ‘Geography makes a difference’ because of her interest in the green and geospatial skills students learn through geography, how geography can support ‘disadvantaged’ students in gaining confidence in making their way in the world and the role geography plays in giving students a space to learn about problems such as the climate crisis.
Keeping up to date with developments in both geography and education is very important to her. She is a UN certified Climate Change Teacher, has a MEd in School Effectiveness and School improvement and completed her NPQ in Leading Teaching in 2024.
Catherine has co-authored a range of textbooks, revision guides, magazine articles and teaching resources for publishers including The GA, OUP, Hachette, Seneca, PG Online and Tutor2U. Most recently she co-authored and co-edited ‘Teaching Climate Change’ for The GA in 2024 and ‘What is geography teaching, now?’ for Hatchette in 2025. She has presented online and in-person CPD for organisations including The GA, Tutor2U, OCR, AQA, Hatchette and individual multi-academy trusts. She thoroughly enjoys working with other geography educators, supporting them in their professional development.
Support is offered for the following Key Stages:
Key Stages 3-5
What can Catherine offer to schools?
Catherine is able to offer support in a wide range of areas in relation to secondary geography teaching including:
- Classroom practice.
- Developing your geography curriculum – inc. threshold concepts, sequencing and relevance to a school’s context.
- Developing engaging learning resources.
- Enquiry learning in geography.
- Cultural capital and geography.
- Teaching climate change.
- Inclusive fieldwork.
- Supporting students with additional needs in geography.
- Supporting students in developing literacy skills – reading, writing and/or oracy.
- Supporting students with previous low attainment in tackling GCSE geography.
- Teaching tricky concepts at GCSE/A level.
- Geography teaching for Non-Specialists.
- Success in AQA A level, AQA GCSE, OCR GCSE and OCR Entry Level Geography courses.
- Leading a geography department.
She is happy to consider other areas – please contact her with your requirements and she will let you know if she is able to provide support in that area.
Format of sessions
Catherine is happy to run online and in-person sessions. She is available on Wednesdays or for twilight sessions on other days. She is based in the South West and is willing to travel to the South East and Midlands. She would expect expenses to be paid.
Pricing
Catherine offers online sessions on a voluntary basis for schools with a over 30% PP students or in areas of significant deprivation (most deprived decile in Index of Multiple Deprivation). Catherine offers schools which don’t fit these categories online sessions on a paid for basis. All in person sessions need to be paid for, with travel expenses also paid.
Other consultancy services offered by Catherine
Catherine is interested in presenting CPD, authoring and resource writing opportunities.
How to contact Catherine
You can contact Catherine via catherine@owen2000.net
Catherine uses the handle @GeogMum on social media and for her blog.
