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Welcome to the GA’s online programme for the Annual Conference and Exhibition 2025! Take some time to explore the programme and build a personalised schedule using the full list below, or find the best sessions for you using the filter options. Keep an eye on this programme for updates and to interact with other delegates, exhibitors and sponsors. For more information on the Conference, see the GA website.

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Thursday, April 17
 

9:00am PDT

Making connections through co-planning conversations
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
206
Co-planning is an approach to mentoring that encourages teachers to develop lessons collaboratively, benefitting both mentors and mentees. This workshop will provide everyone who engages in mentoring conversations – mentors, ITE tutors, ECTs and trainees – with ideas to support co-planning conversations. Participants will take away useful strategies that they can put into practice.
Speakers
JM

Julia Mackintosh

Senior Lecturer, University of Hertfordshire
CP
DE

Dr Emma Rawlings Smith

Chair GA Teacher Education Phase Committee
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
206 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

9:00am PDT

Sustainability Support for Education
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
JHB lecture theatre
The DfE has commissioned three flagship initiatives supporting education settings to become more sustainable and confront the climate and nature emergencies: the Sustainability Support for Education hub; Climate Ambassadors; and the National Education Nature Park. Find out about what free resources are available and how your whole education community can get involved.
Speakers
avatar for Juanita Shepherd

Juanita Shepherd

Policy Lead, Sustainability Support Programme, Department for Education
Juanita is a former geography teacher and now a Policy Lead at the Department for Education on the Sustainability Support Programme. Ask her about the support available to education settings (EY-FE) to take their first steps or reach their highest ambitions on their sustainability... Read More →
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
JHB lecture theatre Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

9:00am PDT

What if? A philosophical approach to geography
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
Executive suite
This practical session combines the pedagogical power of Philosophy for Children (P4C) with the teaching of geography to explore questions and concepts around 'connected geographies'. We'll show how philosophical enquiry develops oracy and critical thinking, and how it can enhance and enrich the geographical lens that young people require to navigate the complexity of our time.
Speakers
JZ
avatar for Emma Leeson

Emma Leeson

Training and Resources Lead, SAPERE
I am a qualified teacher but became a philosophical teacher-educator after encountering philosophical enquiry over 20 years ago, facilitating dialogue ever since in my classrooms, schools, community and at home with my family. I work for SAPERE, the national charity for philosophical... Read More →
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
Executive suite Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

9:00am PDT

Spiralling sustainability - Deepening understanding through insight from a Singapore school
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
205
In this workshop, we’ll share how we have structured assigned tasks for students across four years to deepen their understanding of key geographical concepts. A primary focus is on sustainability, a core concept in Singapore’s geography curriculum. The tasks are designed using immersive scenario-based learning, enabling students to bridge classroom knowledge with practical applications. Through a scaffolded approach, students deepen their understanding of sustainability and other key geographical concepts as they progress through their secondary education journey.
Speakers
HS

Haslinda Safiee

Subject Head Geography, Ministry of Education, Singapore
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
205 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Early career teacher

9:00am PDT

Developing space and place: helping young children connect to the world around them
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
207
This workshop explores how teachers can use what's familiar to children to help them gain a deeper understanding of the wider world. It will provide a variety of teaching ideas to help children make connections to gain knowledge of 'space' and 'place' between EY and KS2, as well as time to share and develop current practice.
Speakers
avatar for Emma Groves

Emma Groves

Primary Geography Advisor, Hampshire Inspection and Advisory Service (HIAS)
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
207 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Primary

9:00am PDT

A relational approach to geography teaching
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
203
Approaches to the teaching of geography are predominantly based on a logic of separation that views phenomena as objects to be studied and classified, rather than on the understanding that all beings in the world, human and non-human, are interconnected and interdependent. A logic of separation also separates the overall purpose of the discipline from its past. In this session I argue for the inclusion of a relational approach that locates the subject in the context of its establishment as an academic discipline in the 19th century, and I consider the implications for our practices in the context of the potential of geography education to foster the sustainability of all life on the planet.
Speakers
DF

Dr Fran Martin

Honorary Research Fellow, University of Exeter
FP
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
203 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Secondary

9:00am PDT

Geography revision: connecting facts with concepts
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
204
How can students move from absorbing and regurgitating facts to connecting and applying them to complex geographical concepts and issues? Using resources from OUP revision guides, you'll try out some ideas to help students make such a move, and will discuss how to apply and adapt them to your circumstances. Useful for new and experienced teachers alike.
Speakers
DA

David Alcock

Author, Oxford University Press
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
204 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Secondary
  • Key Stage KS4

9:00am PDT

Planning for progression in your geography curriculum
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
201
How do geography teachers select content, design and structure their curriculum to enable student progression? UCL's Fawcett Fellows will reveal the thinking behind their curriculum making.
Speakers
DA

Dr Alex Standish

Associate Professor of Geography Education, UCL Institute of Education
avatar for Joanne Clarke

Joanne Clarke

Head of Geography, Queen Anne's School
- OneNote for delivering learning- Augmented reality sandbox- human geography A Level- abandoned places
avatar for Fiona Sheriff

Fiona Sheriff

Head of Geography, Kingsthorpe College
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
201 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Secondary

9:00am PDT

Write like a geographer
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
Chakrabarti room
We use strategies from the classroom to get students to write more concisely, use more key terminology and develop their answers to fully explain the formation or process discussed.
Speakers
SC

Stephanie Cottle

Head of Geography, SPC Geographical Association
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
Chakrabarti room Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Secondary

9:00am PDT

What does progress look like when using GIS?
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
202
This session will provide a framework on what progress using GIS can look like, and approaches that can be used to develop GIS use across the curriculum by students and educators. It will refer to examples of how GIS has been developed in different settings, and how to work connectively with external organisations to achieve this.
Speakers
avatar for Bob Lang

Bob Lang

Geography Teacher, King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
As a Geography Teacher at King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls, I have over 20 years of experience. I am passionate about supporting geography teachers and educators from different backgrounds and levels of expertise, and collaborating with various organisations and institutions... Read More →
Thursday April 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
202 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Subject leader

10:00am PDT

Nairobi National Park – A case study of connected geographies
Thursday April 17, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am PDT
JHB lecture theatre
This session explores the dynamic interplay between urban development and natural ecosystems. It examines how Nairobi National Park, uniquely situated adjacent to a major city, embodies the challenges and opportunities of balancing wildlife conservation with urban expansion. The presentation will highlight key aspects such as: human-wildlife interactions; ecological corridors; conservation strategies; and the socio-economic impact on surrounding communities, offering insight into sustainable coexistence.
Speakers
avatar for Paras Chandaria

Paras Chandaria

Wildlife Photographer / Safari Planner, WOW Safaris Ltd
I am a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism, with a particular focus on the delicate balance between urban development and natural ecosystems. My work centers on highlighting the unique role of Nairobi National Park as a vital conservation area situated... Read More →
Thursday April 17, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am PDT
JHB lecture theatre Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Headline lecture

11:00am PDT

Connected classrooms: using simulations in geography
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:00am - 11:25am PDT
202
Simulations are powerful tools, fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnected nature of human and physical geography. Delve into the use of simulations as a means for students to explore the complexities of connected geographies, empowering students to understand and navigate the global landscape with empathy and agency.
Speakers
CG

Casie Gaebler Dolan

Learning Leader, American Community School of Abu Dhabi
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:00am - 11:25am PDT
202 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Secondary

11:00am PDT

Encouraging media literacy in geography
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:00am - 11:25am PDT
205
Young people are increasingly connected to the wider world through the internet, and consume media in many forms. The session explores how we can empower young people to interpret the wealth of information they have access to, and to think critically and form their own opinions on geographical issues.
Speakers
DS

Damayanti Sankaran

Teacher of Geography, Comberton Village College
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:00am - 11:25am PDT
205 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Secondary

11:00am PDT

Morning break
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:00am - 11:30am PDT
The Forum
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:00am - 11:30am PDT
The Forum Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP

11:00am PDT

50 years of Teaching Geography
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:00am - 11:30am PDT
2025 marks the 50th anniversary of our Teaching Geography journal. Join us in the morning break of 17 April to celebrate this milestone with us and find out about how you can get involved with our journals.



Speakers
avatar for Dr Richard Bustin

Dr Richard Bustin

Head of Geography, Lancing College
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:00am - 11:30am PDT
  Fringe event

11:30am PDT

Meeting in the middle: walk to collaborative futures for teachers and researchers 
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
201
Attendees will hear brief summaries of geography education research from presenters who'll connect it to day-to-day classroom and curriculum development. We'll then host a 'world café' session to encourage discussions, which will continue over drinks and snacks afterwards. Our session will suit teachers who want to learn from research.
Speakers
DX

Dr Xin Miao

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, East China Normal University; University of Stirling
DA

David Alcock

Author, Oxford University Press
JZ
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
201 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

11:30am PDT

Connecting the 'what' with the 'why' of fieldwork
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
205
Want your students to be fantastic at fieldwork? We'll share simple activities and quality questions to help your students connect what they do in your existing fieldwork with why you've chosen to do it that way. Teach them the thinking behind your decisions in KS3 and GCSE fieldwork so that they're ready to make their own in the A level NEA.
Speakers
avatar for Jill Owens

Jill Owens

Fieldwork Tutor, Cranedale Centre
I've been working with young people for over 20 years, starting as a 'Group Leader' for PGL at the age of 18, spending 7 years teaching Geography in secondary school classrooms and now working outdoors as a Fieldwork Tutor for the Cranedale Centre in Yorkshire.I hope the things I... Read More →
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
205 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Fieldwork

11:30am PDT

Empowering tomorrow's geographers: bringing links to life
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
Foyer
Young people are important citizens, shaped by the geographies around them and with the power to shape those geographies – but do they recognise this? The fieldwork ideas shared here help pupils recognise the connections that exist in our world and draw on cross-curricular links to show how their lives and local area are connected to these wider geographies.
Speakers
SH

Sam Harley

Tutor, Field Studies Council
CF

Charlotte Foster

Education Team Leader, Field Studies Council
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
Foyer Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Primary

11:30am PDT

How can understanding early years benefit geography educators?
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
207
This workshop will explore connections between early years geography and wider geography education. Key pedagogy and practice from early years education will be highlighted, and participants will be guided to explore connections with their own practice. This will provide an opportunity to reflect on individual and collective roles and raise awareness of subject development, starting from our youngest learners.
Speakers
SS

Sarah Sprake

Early Years adviser, Norfolk County Council
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
207 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Primary

11:30am PDT

Connecting to place: insights from the Migration Museum
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
202
Join the Migration Museum's award-winning learning team to explore how the movement of people to and from the UK has shaped who we are as individuals, as communities and as nations. Discover how migration can act as a catalyst for communication, connectedness and belonging in human geography. Share knowledge, learn best practice and gain practical tools for the classroom.
Speakers
TS

Tia Shah

Learning Officer, Migration Museum
LM

Liberty Melly

Head of Learning, Migration Museum
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
202 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Subject knowledge

11:30am PDT

Exploring the new volcanic era in Iceland
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
Chakrabarti room
Offering a physical and human perspective with a critical thinking approach, this lecture will outline the causes of a new era of tectonic activity and examine how new technologies have influenced and informed decision-making. We'll also show the connections of the tectonic hazard to people and explore the social, economic and political impacts both nationally and internationally.
Speakers
KC

Karen Corfield

Education Development Consultant, Discover the World Education
EH

Elen Harris

Sevenoaks School
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
Chakrabarti room Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Subject knowledge

11:30am PDT

Collaborative planning for climate action in your school with the Climate Ambassadors scheme
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
Executive suite
In 2022, the DfE mandated that all schools in England have a Climate Action Plan focusing on decarbonisation, adaptation, climate education and biodiversity. Join regional hub managers from the DfE-funded Climate Ambassadors scheme for a collaborative workshop to find out how the scheme can help you, as well as generating ideas that will empower you to support your school in taking meaningful climate action.
Speakers
KM

Kit Marie Rackley

Climate Ambassadors East of England Regional Hub Manager, and consultant to the GA., University of East Anglia
DE

Dr Elle Young

North East Regional Hub Manager, Climate Ambassadors
ZG

Zoe Gilbank

Yorkshire & Humber Regional Hub Manager, Climate Ambassadors
Thursday April 17, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
Executive suite Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Subject leader

12:30pm PDT

Connecting with colleagues: using geography to develop cross-curricular opportunities
Thursday April 17, 2025 12:30pm - 12:55pm PDT
202
This session will outline some of the ways in which collaboration with colleagues, using geography as a starting point, can help foster professional relationships and develop greater opportunities for cross-curricular teaching and learning, enabling teachers as well as students to appreciate how relevant geography is across all subjects.
Speakers
MC

Melanie Collins

Head of Geography, Pipers Corner School
Thursday April 17, 2025 12:30pm - 12:55pm PDT
202 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Early career teacher

12:30pm PDT

Imagining decolonial futures: The role of ITE in decolonising geography
Thursday April 17, 2025 12:30pm - 12:55pm PDT
203
This session presents the findings of my MA research paper which explores the role of Initial Teacher Education in supporting teachers to decolonise geography. The presentation provides a review of recent literature and decolonial efforts in geography, outlines a vision of a transformative decolonial geography for building global solidarity, and explores the role of Initial Teacher Education in supporting student teachers in engaging in this work. The theoretical framework for decolonising geography explores how teachers can foster solidarity between those in the classroom and the oppressed, supporting children to become more connected to the world around them.

This session is for those engaged in teacher education, and early career and more established geography teachers. It offers teachers insights into recent efforts to decolonise efforts, and an ambitious perspective for decolonising the subject in their lessons. It offers teacher educators insight into current efforts to support teachers with this work, and to consider the role they play in connecting with schools to decolonising geography.
Speakers
avatar for Charlotte Milner

Charlotte Milner

Teacher of Geography, The Green School for Girls
I am a Teacher of Geography in London, with over four years' experience in the profession. I am passionate about decolonising geography, which I explored when studying for my MA in Social Justice and Education at the IOE. I am interested in exploring theoretical perspectives and practical... Read More →
Thursday April 17, 2025 12:30pm - 12:55pm PDT
203 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Early career teacher

12:30pm PDT

Primary meet and greet
Thursday April 17, 2025 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
On 17 April, make your way to the conference social space to meet other primary colleagues. The primary pit stop will be available all day as part of our primary pathway. Hosted by the GA Early Years and Primary Phase Committee.


Thursday April 17, 2025 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
  Primary

12:30pm PDT

Lunch break
Thursday April 17, 2025 12:30pm - 1:50pm PDT
The Terrace
Thursday April 17, 2025 12:30pm - 1:50pm PDT
The Terrace Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP

1:00pm PDT

Collaborative Research, Racial Literacy, & Curriculum-Making
Thursday April 17, 2025 1:00pm - 1:25pm PDT
203
This presentation will explore the Spencer-funded “Racial Literacy, Capabilities, & Curriculum-Making” (RaLiCaM) research project. Utilizing tools from the EU-funded GeoCapabilities project and Morgan and Lambert’s (2023) racial literacy framework, teachers from across social studies disciplines worked alongside researchers from the UK/US to enhance their collective capabilities as racially-literate curriculum-makers in Wisconsin. Insights from the collaborative professional inquiry will be shared.
Speakers
KL

Kelly León

Assistant Professor of Education, University of Wisconsin- Green Bay
Thursday April 17, 2025 1:00pm - 1:25pm PDT
203 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP

2:00pm PDT

Tails of the unexpected: rich geographical connections
Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
207
Join this lively workshop of practical activities that celebrate place perspectives that are surprising, serendipitous, miniature and unusual. Inspired by local landscapes, accompanied by quizzical mice, we seek to foster curiosity through a series of geographical enquiries. This workshop encourages learners to slow down, observe, explore and notice detail, recognising change and finding fascination in places of repair and transformation.
Speakers
avatar for Colin Walker

Colin Walker

Former Senior Lecturer in Geographical Education
SW
Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
207 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

2:00pm PDT

Tackling educational disadvantage in the geography classroom
Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
Executive suite
This workshop will focus on highlighting key strategies geography teachers can deploy to support students, with the aim of reducing the educational disadvantage gap. It will share work from schools in Hampshire, exploring examples in supporting literacy and pupil engagement. Attendees will also have the opportunity to reflect on the impact of their own strategies.
Speakers
KB

Kate Broadribb

Geography Adviser for Hampshire LA
Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
Executive suite Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Early career teacher

2:00pm PDT

Making connections in the NEA
Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
205
This workshop examines ways in which students can make connections between their own research and wider geographical theory. We'll discuss how focusing on suitable place/space theory allows students to progress beyond the comparison of two locations or 'to what extent has regeneration been successful' titles. We'll also consider misconceptions and best practice in literature research.
Speakers
AO

Andy Owen

Author, self-employed
I am an author of geography resources for both students and teachers. I have written for all key stages and all aspects of geography teaching but my recent work has focussed on fieldwork and geomorphology for teachers and GCSE and A level students. I have considerable experience with... Read More →
Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
205 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Fieldwork
  • Key Stage KS4

2:00pm PDT

Using technology to connect with geographical fieldwork
Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
206
Turning the mobile phone from a hinderance to an aid! This session will explore how embracing apps and digital practices can support learning in the field, engage students with their surroundings and connect them to the wider world of geography. It will aid you with the tools to take the textbook out of the classroom.
Speakers
avatar for Em Kendall

Em Kendall

Senior Tutor, Field Studies Council
avatar for Grace Phillips

Grace Phillips

Digital Training Officer and Senior Tutor, Field Studies Council
Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
206 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Fieldwork

2:00pm PDT

Connecting diverse communities to their locality through a decolonised cross-curricular local study
Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
202
University of Sheffield PGCE geography and history tutors and students collaborated on an alternative cross-curricular KS3 study of Sheffield's industrial growth and urbanisation, unearthing hidden connections to imperialism, enslavement and global trade. This session will share the learning from this project and explore how its principles could be applied to create decolonised learning schemes and teaching resources elsewhere.
Speakers
avatar for Mark Cottingham MSc FCCT

Mark Cottingham MSc FCCT

University Teacher, University of Sheffield
I am a PGCE History Tutor at The University of Sheffield. A Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and a former head teacher, I am currently reading for a Doctorate in Education with a focus on the contested concept of historical empathy. 
CW

Christine Winter

Lecturer Emerita, University of Sheffield
Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
202 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Secondary

2:00pm PDT

Moving beyond the Drosscape: insider perspectives on Detroit
Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
201
Detroit-based geographer and cartographer Alex B. Hill presents his perspective on the US city's social and economic troubles and more recent renewal. It's an essential update on this popular 'distant place study' at A level, with a focus on social inequality and the representation of community groups. The session includes an opportunity to reflect on classroom practice with regard to 'far places'.
Speakers
avatar for Alex Hill

Alex Hill

Founder and Principal, DETROITography
Alex has more than 10 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations on campaigns that impact policies and communities. As a data nerd and anthropologist, Alex finds meaningful stories to tell whether he’s sifting through spreadsheets or interviewing people. Alex is able... Read More →
Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
201 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Subject knowledge

3:00pm PDT

Strategic trip planning with purpose
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:00pm - 3:25pm PDT
205
Geography trips often limit themselves to local fieldwork or Iceland residencies. This session proposes strategic trip planning that integrates multiple subjects; I'll also discuss approaches encouraging educators to expand their horizons. Virtual fieldwork will illustrate how technology can transform learning, bringing distant locales vividly to life and enriching students' global perspectives.
Speakers
SB

Simon Bannister

Head of Geography, Wycombe Abbey
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:00pm - 3:25pm PDT
205 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Fieldwork

3:00pm PDT

GIS-T
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:00pm - 3:25pm PDT
206
The GIS-T project aims to integrate GIS into school curricula to empower students in addressing climate change. By utilizing GIS technology, students will develop the critical spatial analysis and problem-solving skills necessary for understanding and responding to climate change. This project equips future generations to analyze geographic data, interpret scenarios and create sustainable, long-term solutions.
Speakers
LZ

Luc Zwartjes

Researcher/Teaching Assistant, Ghent University - Geography Department
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:00pm - 3:25pm PDT
206 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Secondary

3:00pm PDT

Geography education in Britain's long 20th century: Evolving discourses of empire and development
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:00pm - 3:25pm PDT
201
As Steve Puttick wrote in his book The Geography Teaching Adventure, “geographical knowledge has been produced in service of Empire … my argument is that geography is tied up in messy ways with these attempts to know, describe and rule the world.” However, geography education has also at times enabled critique and allowed for more subversive understandings of empire and its legacies to emerge.
Speakers
DA

Dr Abigail Branford

Postdoctoral researcher, University of Oxford
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:00pm - 3:25pm PDT
201 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Subject knowledge

3:00pm PDT

Afternoon break
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:00pm - 3:30pm PDT
The Forum
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:00pm - 3:30pm PDT
The Forum Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP

3:30pm PDT

Curriculum debates
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
203
A jointly hosted GA/IOE debate on a pertinent curriculum question, which will be determined closer to the conference.
Speakers
DA

Dr Alex Standish

Associate Professor of Geography Education, UCL Institute of Education
SB

Steve Brace

Chief Executive, The Geographical Association
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
203 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

3:30pm PDT

Exploring the Holocaust through sites and sources
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
201
Over the past two years, in partnership with The Association of Jewish Refugees' UK Holocaust Map, we've been trialling visits with teachers across the UK to sites connected with the Holocaust. This workshop will explore the possibilities, benefits and resources available for teachers wanting to explore local UK-based stories within their classrooms and/or their localities.
Speakers
DJ

Dr Jenny Carson

Education Officer - Teacher Training, Holocaust Educational Trust
MW
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
201 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

3:30pm PDT

You don't know what you got 'til it's gone' – Joni Mitchell
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
207
The destruction of the tree at Sycamore Gap sparked outpourings of grief for these often underappreciated 'sentinels of time'. We'll explore the significance of trees in our lives spiritually, emotionally and physically. Engaging with a series of activities available in Primary Geography, you'll discover how a 'tree curriculum' can offer children hopeful and positive understandings of their world.
Speakers
SR

Stephen Rawlinson

Independent Consultant - Former President of the GA (2015-16), Wildthinkers
DT

Dr Tessa Willy

Chair of the Primary Geography Editorial Board
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
207 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

3:30pm PDT

Arriving where we started: do we know our place?
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
202
We never truly arrive at a place; we're always exploring. Yet we teach case studies as if they're absolute, often discussing places we've never visited. This lecture, inspired by T.S. Eliot, Yi-Fu Tuan and Zeno's paradoxes, challenges us to discuss the importance of teaching about places with humility, acknowledging that exploration and understanding should be ongoing by teacher and student alike.
Speakers
AC

Amy Case

Head of Geography, Latymer Upper School
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
202 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Secondary

3:30pm PDT

GIS for disaster risk awareness: a fieldwork approach
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
Executive suite
How can we help students understand the intricate connections between people, places and environments through fieldwork? This session showcases our fieldwork project in Bali, integrating ArcGIS for spatial analysis and collaboration with local geoscience experts. Participants will learn how to enhance student engagement through technology-enabled and human-centered fieldwork, guiding students in developing sustainable solutions for disaster-prone areas.
Speakers
YW

Yuting Wee

Subject Head (Geography), Beatty Secondary School, Ministry of Education
JP
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
Executive suite Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Secondary

3:30pm PDT

Critical connections
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
204
Who'd have ever thought there's a connection between plate tectonics, the (deep) water cycle and 21st century critical minerals? This workshop explores how these topics are inextricably linked, and how they can be taught to bring a bang up-to-date version of seemingly abstract physical geography topics to students.
Speakers
DH

Duncan Hawley

Geography & Geoscience Educator/Chairperson PGSIG, GA Physical Geography Special Interest Group (PGSIG)
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
204 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Subject knowledge

3:30pm PDT

Homelessness policy and practice: the geographical connection
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
JHB lecture theatre
We know a lot about what works to end homelessness, and yet it remains a major global injustice. This presentation will draw upon two decades of geographical research and ongoing efforts to influence homelessness policy and practice across the globe, including through collaboration with NGOs, national and local governments and even royalty.
Speakers
PM

Peter Mackie

Director of Impact and Engagement, School of Geography, Cardiff University
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
JHB lecture theatre Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Subject knowledge

3:30pm PDT

Integrating climate education into GCSE Geography 
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
205
Speakers
SR
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
205 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Subject knowledge

3:30pm PDT

Telling geography's stories to non-specialist audiences
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
Chakrabarti room
As teacher recruitment gets harder, we know that it's more likely we'll be supporting non-specialist teachers in understanding and teaching our material. In this session, Alistair and David share what they've learned about the stories of geography from writing, and how it helps to build a sense of the disciplinary concepts and approach for non-specialist teachers.
Speakers
DD

Dr David Preece

Head of Geography, Teach First
Former secondary Geography teacher with over a decade's classroom experience, specialising in physical Geography, I'm now involved in initial teacher education in Geography for Teach First, where I lead the teacher training programme and curriculum. I believe teaching is a team sport... Read More →
AH

Alistair Hamill

Head of Geography, Lurgan College
Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
Chakrabarti room Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Subject leader

4:20pm PDT

Connecting cartography
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
Executive suite
This workshop explores the local, regional and international surroundings of Oxford Brookes, where I studied cartography in 2001. We'll examine what's visible and hidden at these levels, and consider creating our own maps. This all-school workshop, from EY to Post-16, connects map-making to other subjects like science, graphic design and geography.
Speakers
avatar for Alice Gadney

Alice Gadney

Cartographer/ Director, Mini Map-Makers Global CIC
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
Executive suite Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

4:20pm PDT

Learning through enquiry: possibilities and plans
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
204
Enquiry approaches in geography lessons engage pupils, but aligning these approaches to curriculum requirements can be a challenge. In this session, we'll share enquiry approaches using examples from a range of schools and phases; participants will have the opportunity to share their own practices and will be provided with frameworks, examples and actions for embedding enquiry in their own schools.
Speakers
DS

Dr Susan Pike

Assistant Professor in Geography Education, Trinity College Dublin
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
204 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

4:20pm PDT

What kind of geographical connections do students need to make?
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
JHB lecture theatre
In order to learn to think geographically, students need to be involved in making connections between: their personal geographies and new knowledge; claims made by disciplinary knowledge and supporting evidence; geographical concepts, processes and models and their application to new case-studies; and policies, practices and their social, economic, environmental and ethical implications.
Speakers
MR

Margaret Roberts MBE

Senior Lecturer (retired); Past GA President, University of Sheffield
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
JHB lecture theatre Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Early career teacher

4:20pm PDT

Connecting farming with geography teaching
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
203
Opportunities exist to gain insight into how farmers are tackling global issues such as carbon emissions, water quality, sustainability and food security. Farmers' decisions are influenced by their physical and changing human environment; the aim is to create a relevant farm visit with active learning experiences to gather environmental data while developing place connections and understanding the farmed landscape.
Speakers
DA

Dr Alison Brown

Farmer (former geography teacher and researcher)
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
203 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Fieldwork

4:20pm PDT

Planning for progression in fieldwork 5–19
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
202
The launch of the GA's fieldwork progression framework, a collaboration between FOLSIG and AESIG, will support teachers in thinking through the interlinked process of curriculum planning, progression and assessment of fieldwork. It explores the role of fieldwork in supporting students' first-hand investigations of places, making sense of the connections between people, places and environments.
Speakers
CS

Chloe Searl

Independent Field Studies Tutor, The Island Geographer
DG

David Gardner

Education consultant, Geographical Association
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
202 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Fieldwork

4:20pm PDT

How to teach Africa better
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
205
Where do African countries and their communities fit within your scheme of learning? Are your students leaving your classroom with an echo of the immensity of the continent and the heterogeneity of it's peoples? How do we turn the tide on the reproduction of outdated narratives to give way to strategies that will help us to see the knowledges, lived experiences and working realities of African countries and it's communities in fuller colour. Join this workshop to explore what this could look like in your own context.
Speakers
avatar for Hope Nyabienda

Hope Nyabienda

Teacher, Decolonising Geography
I’m a Geography Teacher based at Finchley Catholic High School. I am also a member of the Decolonising Geography Collective. Making Geographical knowledge decolonised makes for a more equitable geographical education.
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
205 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Secondary

4:20pm PDT

Maths for A level geography: reflections, ideas and discussion
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
206
Maths skills are important for geographers as they make sense of the connections between people, places and environments; gathering and analysing data facilitates synoptic thinking. We'll offer teachers the chance to explore specification-focused concepts and techniques relevant to the teaching and learning of A level geography. You'll explore resources, use data and try activities.
Speakers
avatar for Tom Rainbow

Tom Rainbow

AMSP National Coordinator, Royal Geographical Society with IBG
I currently work as a maths education support specialist within the Advanced Maths Support Programme (AMSP), which is led and delivered by Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI). I have shared responsibility within this role for supporting teachers in the delivery of the level... Read More →
SP

Simon Pinfield

Royal Geographical Society
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
206 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Secondary

4:20pm PDT

Nature in cities: connecting communities
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
201
Earthwatch recognises and values the importance of nature in cities. Green spaces provide pockets for biodiversity, help to connect communities and mitigate the negative effects of air pollution, excessive noise, heat and flooding. This workshop explores potential nature-based solutions – from Tiny Forest to FreshWater Watch and Green Earth Schools – and how we can remove barriers to accessing these spaces.
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Staunton-Lamb

Sarah Staunton-Lamb

Learning, Communities and EDI Lead, Earthwatch Europe - Senior Communities & Learning Manager
25+ years working in the environment and education. Come and find me the stand at D29 to find out more about opportunities for teachers and schools with Earthwatch.I am a Senior Learning Manager and Facilitator within Earthwatch. With over 25 years’ experience of working in the... Read More →
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
201 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Subject knowledge

4:20pm PDT

Why is African migration a problem in and out of Africa?
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
Chakrabarti room
Using a historical geographical perspective, this lecture explains how states, since the period of enslavement and colonization, have attempted to control African mobility and have responded to Africans who move independently of the state. Such continuities are evident in contemporary migration policies and practices. I end with an argument for the development of regional initiatives that serve to humanize Africans who move.
Speakers
PP
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
Chakrabarti room Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Subject knowledge