Young Geographer of the Year - now with added teacher prize for NQT / PGCE

The annual Young Geographer of the Year Award has been launched by the Royal Geographical Society in association with Geographical magazine.

This year there has been a slight change of format for the awards which I think makes it a stronger opportunity, and will result in more "useful" and insightful responses...

Geography surrounds us: on the world map on your classroom wall, in events on the news, or the changes taking place in your local area and further afield.  Geographers strive to better understand the connections between the world’s people, places and environments and the interactions taking place between them. 

To help us understand our world we ask questions such as; Where is this place? Why is it like this? How is it connected with other places? How is this place changing? and Why are these changes taking place? We like to zoom between the local and the global scales and are fascinated with maps, not just to find out where places are but to also show how places are connected, their human and physical characteristics, and the differences between them.

So if you’ve ever wondered where your ipod was made, where the plastic in your recycling bin ends up or why climate change is on the news you’ve already been developing your geographical understanding. 

Without geography we’d be lost and this year’s Young Geographer of the Year gives you the chance to answer the question:

 'What should every good geographer understand?'

Visit the website to download the application / entry forms and give it a go.
There are 4 age categories, which correspond to KS2, 3, 4 and 5...

This year there is also a new award for PGCE / NQT teachers too.....

The Rex Walford Award for PGCE students and NQTs

The Society is also delighted to announce a new element of the competition - The Rex Walford Award for PGCE students and newly qualified geography teachers. Reflecting Rex Walford’s passion for training new geography teachers, this award will be given to a PGCE student or NQT who creates the best set of teaching resources, scheme of work or lesson plans linked to this year's Young Geographer competition. The winner will receive a Society Fellowship for one year plus a cash prize of £150 and their materials will be hosted on the Society’s website.

Get your geographical thinking caps on - you have to be in it to win it....