Adapting the secondary geography curriculum
A high school which is part of a small multi-academy trust and has an average proportion of pupils on free school meals shares its approach.
Our school has been mindful of getting the correct balance between teaching new content and the review/consolidation of prior learning. We are also mindful that any new content covered will need to be reviewed when schools open again and do not want to further widen the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged pupils in respect of this.
In geography, we estimate the balance between new learning and consolidation is approximately two-to-one across most key stages (for every 2 hours of new learning, 1 hour of consolidation/review work is being set). This balance is being reviewed constantly and might change dependent on the amount of time schools are closed for.
New learning has a strong focus on underpinning geographical skills to ensure pupils are retaining the skills needed to succeed in the subject.
In key stage 3, pupils are being set work fortnightly. There has been some reordering of the sequence of topics. For year 8, the next topic was supposed to be ‘Water on the Land’, which we decided was too difficult for pupils to work through independently, and was significant in developing subject knowledge. As a result we’re not attempting this remotely at the moment.
In key stage 4, year 10 pupils are being set work weekly from a new topic that is considered to be less challenging and more accessible to work through at home. Again, this is being interleaved with review and consolidation from prior topics and/or skills development. Individual teachers are using Microsoft Teams to set practice exam questions with varying levels of engagement and success.
In key stage 5, year 12 pupils are being set work weekly. They are continuing with the current topic and interleaving this with review/consolidation of prior learning.
The Department for Education gathered these examples of remote education practice by consulting with schools and colleges across England. Names of individuals and schools have been removed to protect their privacy.