KS3 Resources
New KS3 Programme of Study
The revised Geography key stage 3 statutory content - Programme of study for key stage 3 - is now in schools for implementation from September 2008.
Education and Skills Secretary Alan Johnson said:
"The new draft Curriculum is designed to create greater flexibility for schools so they can ensure pupils master the basics as well as offer more stretching opportunities for those who excel.
“The curriculum should evolve to meet a rapidly changing world, and enable teachers to teach in a way that will continue to interest and enthuse their pupils. These proposals move us away from a ‘one size fits all’ curriculum to one that offers more flexibility to tailor teaching to pupils’ needs and aspirations. More flexibility for teachers, more interesting for pupils.
“More emphasis has been placed on developing in-depth understanding of the key ideas and practice of particular subjects. But crucially, it is balanced with the retention of tried and tested parts of the curriculum as well as giving young people better personal skills greatly valued by employers.
Some of the key changes and retained elements to geography include sustainable development and environmental change being given a much stronger focus as a theme throughout the curriculum.
Sir Anthony Greener, QCA chairman, said that the revised curriculum will help learners to contribute to social cohesion, whilst developing a sense of self, community, nation and global citizenship, ideas which have long been at the centre
of geography and history.
In a new challenge for some geography teachers, there will be a move away from subject content to a concern about the nature and impact of the subject itself: “how do we get students to be geographers of the highest quality” said, Director of Curriculum, QCA, Mick Waters.
However, things that have stood the test of time in the curriculum will survive confirmed Waters: “Anne Boleyn will still be beheaded; Romeo will still love Juliet; and the Pennines will remain the back-bone of England.”
Jonathan Wolton, the RGS-IBG KS3 Resources Programme Officer for the Action Plan for Geography, spoke at the Teachers' In Service Training Day held at the RGS-IBG on Thursday 1st February, in a workshop entitled 'Selecting content and resources for a new KS3 geography curriculum'.
The session was an open discussion to start thinking about what content you will select when planning units of work for the revised KS3 geography programme of study. The increased flexibility of the PoS provides not only opportunities but also potential pitfalls. What ‘version’ of KS3 geography are you going to teach? One that is enjoyable, inspiring and relevant to students; is good for teachers: a course that staff can teach effectively and enthusiastically, including non-specialists; and is good for geography: reinforcing the relevance of the discipline, its connectivity with GCSE & A-level and that encourages take-up. This is easier said than done. What content are you going to use to teach it and why? Some frameworks of approaches were discussed and some examples of units of work and potential resource ideas were be explored.
Jon also provided delegates with a list of useful KS3 websites
Feedback from the session will be posted here soon.