Did you attend a CfBT COURSE last year for the new Geography KS3 ?

If you DIDN'T, you're a Geography teacher in the UK, and you don't know what I'm on about then please get in touch...

If you DID, here's some information that the National Subject Leads: Ruth Totterdell and David Rayner wanted passing on...

The CfBT project supporting the implementation of the new secondary curriculum has got further funding until April 2009.

During this period we will be developing some further video case studies for the website www.newsecondarycurriculum.org

We are also aiming to provide support for the implementation of the new PoS through further CPD sessions to local networks of teachers.


As a regional advisor I would be happy to lead another session for your teacher network.

The session could be customized to suit the needs of the teachers in your network group and to encourage them to use the new PoS as an opportunity to reinvigorate geography teaching. We are currently working on ways we can support teachers in getting started with GIS, in encouraging learning outside the classroom, and good practice in planning quality units of work.

Please do get in touch and let me know if you would like some help.

Mean while I am sending you an email you may like to forward to all the geography teachers in your network that has some links to new resources that will be of use in their key stage 3 teaching.

Here are some links to resources that we hope you will find useful in your planning;

The Geography teaching today website has some more resources to help you in your new KS3.

Do check out http://www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk/ks3-resources/resource There are several new resource units for KS3 including ‘The Geography of my stuff’, which explores food miles, child labour and online purchasing and ‘Africa; a continent of contrasts’ which introduces students to the huge variation in geography that exists within the complex continent of Africa and focuses on Sudan and Ghana as case studies.

The GA has published the next two books in the Geography Teachers toolkit; ‘Into Africa’ and ‘British or European; who do you think you are?’. ‘Moving stories’ is already out. To buy on line go to http://www.geography.org.uk/shop/shop_newbooks.asp?section=newbooks

The Ordnance Survey Free Maps for 11-Year-Olds scheme is now up and running for 2008. If you haven't already received your invitation letter, which contains the unique username and password for your school, you will do so shortly. The closing date for all orders is 30 November 2008. For further information visit http://freemaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/freemapsfor11yearolds/.

Are you teaching Antarctica? Last year two geography teachers and two science teachers went on an expedition to Antarctica with the Fuchs Foundation. The teaching resources they developed plus some accompanying Teachers TV programmes are now available on http://www.fuchsfoundation.org/page/19/educational-resources.htm. In fact the Fuchs Foundation is planning a second Antarctic expedition on which there are places for four science or geography teachers, so check that out if you fancy a challenge for 2009!

Have you heard of ‘The Box’? it is a year-long project run by BBC News to tell the story of international trade and globalisation by tracking a standard shipping container around the world. A container has been painted and branded and a GPS transmitter has been bolted on. You can follow its progress on a map. There will be reports of the box’s journey and what it’s carrying to whom, telling the individual stories behind what makes the global economy tick. Currently it is transporting whiskey from Scotland to Shanghai! Perhaps a good way to illustrate globalization and brush up on a few atlas skills! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/business/2008/the_box/default.stm

Are you proud of your geography department? Do you think it teaches quality geography? The GA runs a Geography Quality Mark scheme. There are free Quality Geography conferences to provide a great opportunity to discuss and develop what we mean by 'quality geography' and to explore the nature, effects and impact of the Geography Quality Mark. The conferences are; Central London: Tuesday 3 March 2009 and Birmingham: Tuesday 10 March 2009.

More details from http://www.geography.org.uk/secondary/secondaryqualitymark/

Although the CfBT project has no further large scale events planned, the GA are launching a series of conferences focusing on Living Geography during 2009. Check the website at: http://www.geography.org.uk/events/regionalconferences/


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