Geography Teaching Today

The aim of the Ofsted Self Evaluation is to:

• convey a clear picture of how well the school and your department is doing
• provide examples and analysis of success
• show what you are doing to build on successes and remedy weaknesses
• to see a link between the progress pupils make, the quality of teaching and the effectiveness of leadership and management.

There are several ways in which Chartered Geographer (Teacher) can be used to support the Ofsted Self Evaluation. The evaluation asks that you provide examples and analysis of:

The quality and impact on standards of links between the school and other providers, services, employers and organisations.
Having a Chartered Geographer (Teacher) in your department means you can prove you have very strong links with the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). Your application may also contain details of your department's links with local businesses, other schools, universities and organsiations such as charities. Use the details of your application to support this part of the self evaluation, and analyse how access to the RGS-IBG and its contacts has had a positive impact on your students and fellow staff.

The performance management of staff and their continuing professional development, particularly how this contributes to improvements in teaching and learning.
As a Chartered Geographer (Teacher), Ofsted will be aware that you have taken responsibility for your own professional development and very likely have a strong impact on the professional development of colleagues in your department. The accreditation is a great way to show your department has a committment to ongoing CPD, and you could even include gaining Chartered Geographer (Teacher) status in every geography teacher's performance management targets or in your departmental development plan. As a Chartered Geographer (Teacher) you will have already assessed how your CPD contributes to improvements in teaching and learning, so refer back to your application documents.

How well subject areas and departments interact to share good practice and learn from one another.
A Chartered Geographer (Teacher) is likely to have strong cross-curricular links within their school.

Where can i find more information about completing an Ofsted Self Evaluation Form for my geography department?
The Geographical Association has produced some excellent guidance on Self Evaluating your department, and have also shaped their Geography Quality Mark application process around the SEF. They provide a pro-forma for your department to use, some key questions for you to think about when collecting information and various other documents to guide you through the process. You can find these on their website.