Geography Teaching Today

Sustainable Schools

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) website quoted in Activity 1 says 'Sustainable communities embody the principles of sustainable development' - http://www.communities.gov.uk/

For our purpose here we must set aside any detailed consideration of education for sustainable development (ESD). You might like to read the paper by Maggie Smith referred to later in the course or study the online CPD unit on KS3 geography and ESD. Here, our purpose is a cross-reference to the DCSF approach to Sustainable Schools. This is an important opportunity for geographers to be identified as making a valuable contribution to the whole curriculum and in terms of the school leadership and ethos in addition to the curriculum.

The DCFS says 'Many schools are already some way towards becoming sustainable schools. It is implicit in their core business of raising achievement as well as in their contribution to the personal development of pupils and to the wider concerns of healthy living, community involvement, the environment and global citizenship.'

Source: teachernet

DCFS 'would like to see all schools preparing young people to take an active role in finding solutions to local challenges while addressing broader global issues. An integrated approach to sustainable development is encouraged, spanning the school's curriculum (teaching and learning provision), campus (values and ways of working), and community (wider influence and partnerships).'

Source: teachernet


Local well-being

'Communities face enormous pressures in many parts of the country. With their central locations and often extensive facilities, schools can act as hubs of learning and catalysts for change in their local communities, contributing to the environment and quality of life while strengthening key relationships.

Being involved in community projects that seek to improve the local area can give pupils a sense of empowerment and confidence that they can make a difference to their lives and communities. It also allows them to experience how decisions are made at first hand, and to develop applied skills that complement classroom study.'

Source: teachernet



The policy connections are direct from Every Child Matters through to the Ofsted school inspections and the self-evaluation form (SEF). These are significant aspects of school leadership with decisions affecting the experience of your learners.

In turn, these policies have influenced the DCFS sustainable schools self-evaluation (s3) tool. This online tool can be initiated by anyone by creating a MATRIX password.

It is also available to download as a PDF.

Working with this self-evaluation tool is a hefty undertaking and would have a direct bearing on your own curriculum making in geography.

With a focus on geographical learning two pairs of questions (SEF and s3) are presented for your consideration here:

• SEF: How well do learners make a positive contribution to the community?
• s3: (5.3) To what extent do you enhance pupils' capacities to make positive contributions to the places where they live?
  
  
• SEF: How well do learners develop skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being?]
• s3: (4.5) To what extent do our efforts to promote sustainable development help us explore professions and careers with pupils?

If these are to be answered in the classifications of 'good' or 'outstanding', what is the role of geographical teaching and learning? What evidence will you aim to present in support of your evaluation?

Can you identify specific connections between school leadership statements and curriculum ideas and aspirations?

How could you make use of the concept of 'local well-being' in your scheme of work? How would this enhance the contribution of geography towards the whole learners' experiences?

Now do Activity 3