International Geography Training

The latest batch of sessions organised by Richard Allaway and Matt Podbury have now been made available on their website.

There will be six online workshops between the end of August 2025 and May 2026, which can be booked individually or as an ‘any three’, ‘any four’ or ‘all six’ bundle.

Each workshop consists of two 90-minute sessions and then the opportunity to have a 30-minute one-on-one meeting with either Richard or Matt to focus on your specific topic of interest and questions.

The workshops will happen on Saturdays, so most of you will not need to find cover for your classes. They will run from 10h00 CET to 13h30 CET, so you have enough time for a lie-in and a lazy breakfast, and everything is finished in time for a late lunch.

Saturday 30th August 2025 – Surviving the first months as a DP Geography Teacher

Saturday 27th September 2025 – Adapting to the new CIE IGCSE Geography 0460 Syllabus

Saturday 1st November 2025 – Making it matter for your students

Saturday 29th November 2025 – Using generative AI as a Geography Teacher

Saturday 7th March 2026 – Getting your students exam-ready

Saturday 9th May 2026 – Big things that your students need to write

The duo have a new Tom Morgan Jones logo inking too, which is always a mark of quality.

If you have a Whole School subscription to both geographyalltheway.com and ibgeographypods.org, you can get a 10% discount.

All the details can be found on the link here.

Cooper Education

James Peverill got in touch to let me know about some upcoming events organised by Cooper Education.

This is a newish CPD offering - catering for those who want help with specific GCSE and ‘A’ level exam specifications - and includes some very well known speakers including Cameron Dunn, Paul Logue, Kate Stockings and Catherine Owen. 

If you go to the website and scroll down you will see that they offer a range of CPD sessions - held as webinars - supporting different qualifications. The next session, for example, features Kate Stockings talking about Regenerating Places for EQ3 and EQ4. It takes place later today. She is also leading another session next week. 

Check the website if you are interested in finding out more.

Please note: I have not attended any of these sessions so this is not a personal endorsement, but all the speakers are very highly regarded.

International Geography Training - new for 2025

A new venture, and one I can certainly get behind...

Two legends of international geography teaching, resource creation and training in the same virtual space: Richard Allaway and Matt Podbury have teamed up to offer some special support for teachers in international schools / teaching international qualifications.

Their new website and opportunity is now live.

They will start their new enterprise by offering three online workshops between now and May 2025, which can be booked individually or as an ‘all three bundle’.

Each workshop consists of two 90-minute sessions and then the opportunity to have a 30-minute one-on-one meeting with either Richard or Matt to focus on your specific topics of interest and questions.

The workshops will happen on Saturdays, so most of you will not need to find cover for your classes. They will run from 10h00 CET to 13h30 CET, so you have enough time for a lie-in and a lazy breakfast, and everything is finished in time for a late lunch.

The workshops focus on the training needs of international geography teachers, especially those teaching IB DP Geography and IGCSE Geography.

Head to the website to find out more.

Upcoming GA Gloucester Branch CPD - 'Digging Deeper'

I've just finalised the plans for a session for GCSE and 'A' Level teachers and students later this month as part of the programme of events offered by the GA Gloucester Branch.

It's an upate of a session I created for the GA Oxford Branch last year.

I explore some of the ways that teachers and students can research case studies they need to remember for exams to make them come to life a little more, and ensure they are a little more authentic, contemporary and relevant, as well as memorable for the exam when it comes to revising.

Why not sign up?

This will be one of my Worldly Wednesdays....

RGS Teachmeet - 26th June

 

Why not join me in late June for the latest RGS-IBG Teachmeet - once again, it's online rather than face to face, but that allows people to join who would not be able to get to Kensington on a weekday evening, so that's fair enough.

Free to join.

Sign up online here.

Speakers

Jo Clarke, Queen Anne's School – Using audio and visual feedback

Guy Paxman, Durham University - The Greenland StoryMap series

Jen Monk, Stretford High School – Windows and Mirrors, ensuring diversity in our curriculum

Fiona Sheriff, Kingsthorpe College - Beautiful books to inspire curiosity in the classroom

Rosie Moore, Cronton Sixth Form College - Embedding Cornell note-taking to improve assessment outcomes

Alan Parkinson, King's Ely Prep - 'Should I stay or should I go': leveraging professional support for pedagogical longevity

I'll be speaking about pedagogical longevity, and how we can use the available support from professional organisations - including the GA and RGS-IBG - to provide the spark which will get us through those times when we question whether we can stay in the classroom.

Practical Pedagogies 2024 - Early Bird tickets available

The third running of the Practical Pedagogies conference will take place in November 2024. The first two events were rather great - one in Toulouse and one in Cologne.

This event will take place in Cologne once again.

The keynote speaker who will bookend the event is Hywel Roberts. He was awesome. His book 'Bothereredness' has been published since the last event, when he was sharing some of the ideas behind it, and comes highly recommended.

You can find out how to get your Early Bird ticket and also see the full programme (subject to the addition of other sessions) on the link above as well. There are over 120 sessions. They are all presented by teachers / educators, sharing what they do with colleagues. You will see session from Richard Allaway and Matt Podbury and quite a few other familiar names here.

My session is here, as described. It will take place on the 1st day of the conference.

Early Bird tickets available in limited quantities which are 100 Euros cheaper than the normal price.

Practical Pedagogies 3 - a call for session proposals

 

One of the best events I've attended and presented at has been the Practical Pedagogies events that were held in 2016 and 2018. The first was held in Toulouse and the second was in Cologne.

Russel Tarr is now organising a third running of the event and the call for sessions is now open. I shall definitely be there (assuming my presentation is accepted). I'll be working on this over the weekend.

Workshop proposals for Practical Pedagogies 2024 are warmly welcomed from primary, secondary and whole-school practitioners and educators willing to share their expertise and practices in a friendly, collaborative, international setting. 

Experienced and first-time presenters are equally welcome to submit a proposal!

The special ticket price for workshop leaders is just 75 Euros for the full two days (payable upon the session proposal being accepted onto the programme). This non-refundable fee, which represents a 75% discount on the standard ticket price, helps ensure that people accepted to run workshops seriously plan to attend.

This sum is effectively reimbursed with free access to the coach which brings attendees to and from the venue from central Cologne, and complimentary meal at the evening restaurant function on the final evening, which is always a highlight of the event. However, please note that in order to keep delegate ticket prices genuinely affordable, we are not able to cover any other expenses.

If you go to the website you can now submit a session proposal.

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RSGS: supporting Scottish Geography

 

The Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS), along with the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers (SAGT) has been concerned for a while about a number of factors which are threatening the condition of geography in Scottish schools. 

Recently, the two organisations held a meeting at Dollar Academy, Stirling and invited Alan Kinder and others to do short presentation. I have previously shared the YouTube channel 

The key messages are also included in a report which has been made available as a PDF download.

Access the full report here 👉 https://t.co/LqxYiWTSkH pic.twitter.com/nOhYXSDy3m

— RSGS (@RoyalScotGeoSoc) April 18, 2023 

GI Pedagogy Training Course - Madrid - 4th-6th July

Last week I had a meeting of the GI Pedagogy group of partners - which is funded by an ERASMUS+ grant, given by the British Council.

We have been working on resources and an online teacher training course. 

We now have an opportunity for you to join us for a face to face event in Madrid.

Free training course for secondary teachers - introducing an Innovative Pedagogical Model for Teaching using GIS, July 4-6 2022, Madrid, @GIPedagogy project, some travel grants available - find out more and register at https://t.co/8uy2lRNfpA

— karl_donert (@karldonert) May 19, 2022

The Registration form is here, and you can also request a first-come first-served grant of €200 to help with the cost of attending if you are outside of Spain.

It would be great to have you there. Happy to answer any further questions as well. 

GeogLive - Fieldwork Session

"Studying geography is so important for children, regardless of their age or stage of learning. Geography helps them to make sense of the world around them and piques their curiosity in places and people. Done well, it engages pupils in their world, often spurring them into action, and is fun!" 

(Ofsted, 2021)

The GeogLive! Team are busy planning the next GeogLive! event, which will be at 5-6pm on Wednesday 30th June. 

This is part of the activity of the GA's Early Years and Primary Phase Committee to support teachers who may or may not be GA members (but you need to be a GA member)

They have chosen to focus on fieldwork, prompted by Iain Freeland’s comments in the blog about geography in outstanding primary schools, and feedback from those who attended the first event. They will also, of course, be referring to the Research Report published by Ofsted yesterday. We will be using the same format as at our first GeogLive! event, as this worked well for us and provoked plenty of positive feedback from participants.

If you are able, and would like to join the event, then please do register through this link below.

A recording of the first event can be seen below:

Discover Iceland with Richard and Matt

Discover the World are organising an exciting-sounding CPD event in Iceland in June which involves Richard Allaway and Matt Podbury.

This is designed for those teaching (or preparing to teach) international qualifications.


Day 1 - 29th June 2019

Arrive in Keflavik and head to the Hafnarfjordur area for your overnight stay.

Day 2 – 30th June 2019

8.00 – 8.15 Welcome from Discover the World Education from our travel specialist, Beverley Cameron.

8.15 – 10.15 The Physical Geography of Iceland, lecture by Professor Chris Davies.

10.15 – 10.30 coffee break

10.30 – 12.30 workshops by Matt Podbury and Richard Allaway

12.30 – 20.00 Tour of Iceland’s iconic Golden Circle guided by Chris Davies including stops at Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss and a few hidden gems.

Overnight in Selfoss area




Day 3 - 1st July 2019

Depart hotel at 8am for an exciting tour of Iceland including:
Visit to the geothermal town of Hveragerdi
View two of Iceland’s most remarkable waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss
Discover the incredible Solheimajokull glacier
Explore the black sand beaches at Reynisfjara
Witness Iceland’s newest spectacle; the Icelandic Lava Show.

You’ll head back to Keflavik for your last night before returning home on the morning of the 2nd July.

Go here to find out more, and book your place.
Will be jealous of all those going along, as a few days in such good company in such an amazing place will be a perfect way to set up the summer...

And if you then book a trip you will get the money back, so think of it as an "inspection visit with benefits..."

IAPS - GIS course

This course may be of interest to some readers of the blog.

IAPS Geography – Geographic Information System (GIS) for Prep Schools which is due to take place on Thursday 29 November 2018 at Abingdon School, Park Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 1DE

The aim of this course is to make the purpose of GIS representation clearer for teaching Years 5, 6,7 and 8.  Delegates will discover how simple GIS skills will help prepare pupils moving to senior schools have the relevant skills.  Following an introduction to GIS, there will be practical sessions using the specialised computer room in Abingdon School’s Geography Department. 

Delegates will take away new ideas on how they can use GIS in their geography lessons and how mapping and the use of GIS can enhance their pupils’ geographical knowledge and understanding.

Full programme and map is attached for your information. 

For further details or to book online please visit https://iaps.uk/courses/detail/1341/

899 - Geography - GIS for Prep Schools 29 11 18 Programme and Map v2 by GeoBlogs on Scribd

GIS CPD

Details of a new option for GIS training were released earlier. Steve Richardson, who wrote quite a lot of the resources that are available on the ArcGIS Schools Resources section has organised a day looking at embedding GIS in the curriculum to support the progression of some key geographical skills and knowledge.

The price is £160 for the day, including lunch and refreshments and the first course is being run down on the South Coast in June.
More details here on the Eventbrite page.

Happy 30th birthday to Erasmus+

Erasmus is 30 years old.

It's facilitated the meeting of millions of teachers and students from across Europe, and I've benefitted from it in many ways over the years. I first got involved with Erasmus through Karl Donert, the President of EuroGeo, and who has spent many years travelling Europe.
He asked me to take part in a project called digitalearth towards the end of my time with the Geographical Association. He was keen to get the GA to engage with this European network of teachers, and there was the first of a few opportunities to do that with this network. The digitalearth project has had a great legacy...

This took me to Salzburg, back in January 2011, for the first of many meetings and training courses. I found myself in a 3 day meeting with university professors, Headteachers and people with particular skillsets I'd not encountered before. It was a little scary, but also exciting, and we had some interesting cultural events as part of the meeting - a pattern that has been particularly important as my Erasmus participation has continued...


Image: Michaela Lindner-Fally

I've spent several months of my life since in various cities around Europe. I've worked at Salzburg University quite a few times, running courses with teachers from lots of different countries, learning from them as much as they learned from me.

Here's a picture from Simo Tolvanen, one of a large group of Finnish teachers I had the pleasure of working with at Z-GIS in Salzburg.
I've visited Stockholm - sailing there on a boat through the frozen Baltic and stopping in at Estonia en route. I've scaled snowy peaks, eaten fine foods, seen art and heard guggenmusic, baked in the heat of an Alentejan summer, swum in the Mediterranean, walked on a frozen lake, wandered unfamiliar cities in the early hours of the morning, and discovered a hidden bottle of Ardbeg whisky in the most unlikely of hotels. I've seen Romanian tower blocks, sung Finnish karaoke, navigated out of an underground car park in Ghent, and seen the Acropolis at sunset and two Olympics stadia...
I've been involved in 5 Erasmus Funded projects and a range of Erasmus funded courses... and several other failed bids for project funding...
I hope to be involved in a whole lot more adventures in the future....
My school is currently involved in an ERASMUS funded project called GI Learner 

I recommend you find out more about the scheme and try and get involved.. assuming UK partners will still be welcome after Brexit... 

In the upstairs room at Zum Eulenspiegel, Salzburg 

Free 'A' level CPD course

Geography teachers are invited to a one day workshop at the University of Manchester on 24th June, 2016 to support the launch of the new A-Level Geography Syllabus.

Parallel lectures run by Geography@Manchester researchers will deliver the core Geography of space and place theory, the carbon cycle and arid land Geography, the areas of the new syllabus which are perhaps less familiar to some teachers. 

In the afternoon, teachers are invited to a round-table discussion to consider how to translate the new learning to the classroom, in turn generating tangible lesson ideas.

The workshop will be opened by Professor Martin Evans who led the new A-Level consultancy on behalf of the Royal Geographical Society.

This workshop is FREE to attend.

Please book your place by 20th June and indicate which of the three workshops you would like to attend by choosing the relevant ticket.

Coffee will be served with registration from 9.30am in the Foyer of the Humanities Bridgeford Street Building.

WHEN

Friday, 24 June 2016 from 09:30 to 15:00 

WHERE

Humanities Bridgeford Street, Ground Floor Foyer, University of Manchester

Follow the link here to book your place

IAPS CPD - free, next Thursday...

Fancy a free CPD day at my school ? 
Details below, but you'll have to let us know quickly if you're coming along...

Next week, there is a chance to take part in a free CPD session which is taking place at my school for Primary colleagues.

There are 3 sessions. One of them is on the GA's Primary Geography Quality Mark, and I'll be leading that one to kick off the day. My HoD Claire will then be talking about images.
After lunch, there's a chance to hear Paula Owens from the Geographical Association talking about the Global Learning Programme.

If you teach in the area and fancy coming along, let me know...

UPDATE: Event running on 4th of June.... Get in touch if you want to come along...

IAPS District 9 Quality Geographies

Conference in Toulouse

A few days ago, I picked up the news of a conference being organised by Russel Tarr at the International School of Toulouse.

I was due to go to the previous event in 2012 that Russel organised, but it clashed with something I was already committed to. This time round, that's not a problem

The focus is on pedagogy, and there's a keynote from Ewan McIntosh.

Good to see my name in the programme (though that's subject to getting permission to go from school as it's during term time)

It's a combination of Mission:Explore and GeoCapabilities....
Looking forward to the possibility of visiting Toulouse.

Delighted to announce that @GeoBlogs will deliver a workshop at #PracPed15! http://t.co/dFvwgKKMIV pic.twitter.com/0AIUY5DwRk #geographyteacher
— Russel Tarr (@russeltarr) February 19, 2015

IB course with Richard Allaway

A rare chance to work with Richard Allaway of Geography all the Way fame, on an IB Geography course in the UK takes place in 3 weeks time.
The course is held at Heathrow Airport, and is on a Saturday so no cover needed (probably)

Details and booking information here.

SW Geography Conference - 1st July

At the start of July I'm going to be in Newquay in Cornwall, working with colleagues in the South West for the first time.
I've been asked to lead a morning on the broad theme of Progression in Geography. 
This will include sessions on national developments, raising standards (some ideas), good practice in leadership and management of teaching and learning. My input will finish with some ideas for the use of new technologies, which is where I'll be on safer ground.
One issue with leadership and other aspects is the extent to which it is affected by the personality of the leader, but also the make-up of the whole departmental team. I've been fortunate to work with some great colleagues in my time, but recognise that it can be hard if you're working with uncooperative colleagues.
Here's the flyer for the event... looks good :)

If you're in the area, you're very welcome to join us. Further information can be obtained from Jo Bardell on 01872 322931. The event is free for SLA subscribers, and costs £175 for non SLA subscribers.

I may well be tweeting some questions over the next few weeks (I'll wait until the term restarts to ask them....) to prepare some provocations and elements of tasks for colleagues to engage with...

If anyone reading this has a particularly good reference / website / resource on progression and raising standards in geography, which is a bit of a 'thorny' and contested issue, I'd love to hear from you...

OSIRIS Educational Course: The Future of Secondary Geography

This looks like a good course :)

Booking is available HERE.