About Rob
Geography education consultant specialising in curriculum design, assessment and developing powerful geographical thinking in the classroom.
Rob Chambers BSc (Hons) CGeog (Teacher) FRGS is an experienced geography educator with over 25 years of teaching and leadership experience in secondary education. He read Geography at the University of Birmingham, graduating with a First Class BSc (Hons), before completing his PGCE at the University of Cambridge. He is a Chartered Geographer (Teacher) and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Throughout his career, Rob has held a range of leadership roles, including Head of Geography, Advanced Skills Teacher and Lead Practitioner. These have involved supporting teachers and departments to develop effective geography teaching and curriculum design. Most recently, Rob served as National Lead for Geography for Astrea Academies Trust, where he led the development of the subjects' planning, teaching, curriculum and assessment across eight secondary schools in South Yorkshire and Cambridgeshire.
As part of this role, Rob was responsible for leading the design and introduction of a brand new, knowledge rich KS3 Common Curriculum, developing high-quality curriculum materials and assessments, and strengthening the subject expertise of teachers and leaders across the trust from KS3 through to KS5.
Rob has particular expertise in curriculum design, assessment development and building coherent geography programmes that support progression in powerful geographical knowledge. His work has included leading the development of curriculum resources such as scholar booklets, knowledge organisers, teacher guides and diagnostic assessments, as well as supporting Heads of Department to improve teaching quality and student outcomes in geography.
Alongside his curriculum leadership, Rob also served as Trust Sustainability Lead, helping to develop and lead the Astrea GoGreen sustainability strategy across 26 schools. During this time the trust received national recognition for its sustainability work, including the MAT Excellence Award for Sustainability Trust of the Year (2024) and the Chartered Governance Institute ESG Initiative of the Year Award (2023).
Rob is an active member of the geography education community. He is a Geographical Association Consultant and previously served as a Teacher Leader on the Prince’s Teaching Institute Geography Schools Programme, supporting subject-focused professional development for geography teachers. During his career he has delivered a range of CPD sessions and webinars for geography teachers through subject networks and organisations including the Geographical Association.
He has received professional recognition for his work in geography education, including the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) – Ordnance Survey Award for Excellence in Secondary Geography Teaching and the Teach Secondary Technology and Innovation Award – Best Teacher.
Support is offered for the following Key Stages:
Key Stages 3-5.
Rob is also happy to support primary schools where appropriate, particularly from a subject specialist perspective.
What can Rob offer to schools?
Rob can support schools, geography departments and teachers through consultancy, professional development and curriculum support. His work focuses on strengthening geography as a rigorous academic discipline while providing practical strategies that teachers can apply immediately in the classroom.
A key focus of his work is supporting departments to translate ambitious curriculum thinking into effective classroom practice, helping to reduce the gap between curriculum design and classroom enactment.
Geography curriculum design
- Designing and refining knowledge-rich geography curricula KS3 / KS4 / KS5
- Developing coherent curriculum sequences and learning journeys that support schema building and cumulative geographical understanding.
- Supporting departments to identify and sequence powerful geographical knowledge
- Developing bookletised curriculum models and supporting resources
- Curriculum review and redesign
- Supporting departments to ensure clear progression across Key Stages
Assessment and improving outcomes
- Designing high-quality diagnostic, formative and summative assessments
- Improving student performance on extended writing and GCSE exam questions
- Using model answers effectively to support geographical explanation
- Identifying misconceptions and planning targeted reteach
- Developing approaches to retrieval practice and knowledge fluency
- Designing assessment and feedback approaches that support geographical understanding
Subject leadership and department development
- Coaching and support for Heads of Geography, including those new to the role
- Department reviews and curriculum audits
- Supporting departments to strengthen teaching quality and subject knowledge
- Supporting non-specialist teachers teaching geography
- Preparing departments for inspection or internal quality assurance
Teacher development and CPD
- Delivering subject-specific professional development for geography teachers
- Supporting teachers to develop clear geographical explanation and chains of reasoning
- Improving the teaching of geographical concepts (such as place, scale, systems and interdependence), processes and case studies
- Supporting teachers to strengthen subject knowledge and subject pedagogy
- Providing CPD on areas such as curriculum planning and sequencing, extended writing, climate education, geographical skills and GIS
- Supporting departments with fieldwork planning and geographical enquiry
Sustainability and climate education
- Embedding climate change and sustainability within the geography curriculum
- Supporting schools developing holistic whole-school approaches to sustainability education
- Linking geography learning to green careers and environmental change
Digital geography, GIS, Technology and AI
- Supporting departments to make effective and responsible use of digital technologies in geography teaching and learning
- Introducing GIS and digital mapping into the geography curriculum
- Exploring the use of technology and digital platforms to support geography teaching and learning
- Introducing AI tools to support teacher workload, curriculum development and resource design
- Developing digital curriculum and resource systems, including teacher and student hubs using platforms such as SharePoint or Teams
- Supporting the use of online learning environments such as Microsoft Teams or other virtual learning platforms
Support for Multi-Academy Trusts
Drawing on experience leading geography across multiple schools within a large Multi-Academy Trust, Rob can support trusts with subject development at scale, including:
- Developing and refining trust-wide geography curricula
- Supporting the development of subject communities across schools
- Designing shared curriculum resources and assessment frameworks
- Establishing central digital resource hubs for teachers and students
- Supporting departments with raising achievement strategies and improvement planning
- Supporting the use of sprint plans or short-cycle improvement strategies
- Developing approaches to retrieval practice and knowledge fluency
- Supporting intellectual preparation for teachers, particularly for bookletised curricula
- Supporting trusts to capture and share effective geography practice
- Supporting the development of sustainability and climate education strategies
Example CPD sessions
The following are examples of sessions that can be delivered. CPD can also be designed collaboratively and tailored to the needs of individual schools, departments or Multi-Academy Trusts.
Examples include:
- Designing a knowledge-rich geography curriculum
- Improving extended writing and geographical explanation
- Developing chains of reasoning in geography answers
- Using model answers to improve GCSE performance
- Designing effective geography assessments and feedback
- Teaching geographical concepts and processes
- Embedding climate change and sustainability within the curriculum
- Introducing GIS and digital mapping in the geography classroom
Sessions can be adapted for department meetings, INSET days, subject networks or trust-wide professional development.
Format of sessions
Rob is happy to deliver support online or in person.
Online sessions work particularly well for CPD, consultancy discussions and subject network meetings, allowing flexible scheduling and reducing travel time.
Rob is also happy to work in person where appropriate, depending on availability and the nature of the work.
For in-person sessions, travel expenses would normally be covered by the school, particularly where significant travel time or overnight accommodation is required.
Pricing
Support can be provided on a paid consultancy basis, with fees agreed depending on the nature and scale of the work.
Rob is also happy, where appropriate, to contribute to professional events or geography subject networks, particularly where this supports the wider geography education community.
Travel expenses would normally be covered for in-person work where significant travel is required, and this can be agreed in advance.
Other consultancy services offered by Rob
In addition to consultancy and professional development for schools and departments, Rob can also support organisations through:
- Writing or contributing to geography curriculum resources, revision materials or professional publications
- Supporting the development of digital curriculum and resource hubs for teachers and students,
- Supporting the development of geography subject communities within schools, clusters or Multi-Academy Trusts
- Supporting schools or Multi-Academy Trusts to design and develop coherent geography curriculum materials and resource systems
- Contributing to professional events, subject networks or webinars
- Providing subject specialist advice for education publishers, exam boards, professional bodies, media organisations or research-informed initiatives
How to contact Rob
Please contact Rob via LinkedIn, X (@RobGeog) or email.
X - Rob Chambers (@RobGeog)
Email: robgeog@outlook.com
