GA Conference and Exhibition 2025: Full Schedule

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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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

Julia Mackintosh

Senior Lecturer, University of Hertfordshire

Chris Powell

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

Key Stage All KS

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

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

Key Stage All KS

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

Jackie Zammit

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

Key Stage KS2, KS3, KS4

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

Dr Xin Miao

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

David Alcock

Author, Oxford University Press

Jiaqi Zhang

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

Cross phase

Key Stage All KS

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

Colin Walker

Former Senior Lecturer in Geographical Education

Sharon Witt

Thursday April 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
207 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP

Cross phase

Key Stage Early Years, KS1, KS2, KS3

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

Dr Alex Standish

Associate Professor of Geography Education, UCL Institute of Education

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

Key Stage All KS

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

Dr Jenny Carson

Education Officer - Teacher Training, Holocaust Educational Trust

Martin Winstone

Thursday April 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
201 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP

Cross phase

Key Stage KS2, KS3, KS4, Post-16

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

Stephen Rawlinson

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

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

Key Stage All KS

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

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

Key Stage All KS

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

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

Key Stage KS1, KS2, KS3, KS4, Post-16