Geography Department achieves national recognition
The Secondary Geography Quality Mark is a recognised award for schools that have a high-quality geography curriculum and teaching, according to the Geographical Association (GA) and the Royal Geographical Society (RGS). It serves as a framework for departments to analyse and improve their curriculum, enhance leadership, and boost their subject's profile within the school.
Congratulations to Miss Denison, and to all members of the Geography Department at Wilson's on this notable achievement!
The following feedback was shared with Wilson's
A strength of your submission is the level of planning that has gone into your curriculum design, considering sequencing, core conceptions and opportunities for students make progress, e.g. through discussion-based activities. This level of planning translates through to crib sheets which are given to students at all key stages to help them understand the learning journey and reflect on their areas of strength and weakness.
We were pleased to see that you work collaboratively with organisations such as the GA and RGS, and this provides opportunities for students to engage in extracurricular activities such as the Young Geographer of the Year award. The use of a praise sheet supports a positive ethos in the department and ensures that student achievement in Geography is recognised. Similarly, it is great practice that student voice is used within the department, and that importantly this feedback is acted upon to ensure that the department is constantly striving for improvement to support its students.
Other areas of strength within the submission were opportunities for students to engage in further extra-curricular activities, including a Geography club and the Global Sustainable Development competition, and that Geography is at the forefront of promoting diversity and inclusion within the school; we liked the example of Vanessa Nakate used as part of Black History Month. Geographers are exposed to a range of topical issues and those who wish to continue to study geography after supported through a series of lectures and seminars which enables them to gain an understanding of what it is to study Geography at university level.
