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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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Type: Cross phase clear filter
Tuesday, April 15
 

2:00pm PDT

Emergency first aid for geography teachers
Tuesday April 15, 2025 2:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Executive suite
This course lasts 2 hours and acts as a refresher for some and offers new training for others. Topics will include: dealing with an incident, severe bleeding, choking, recovery position, carrying out CPR and the use of a defibrillator. There will also be time to answer questions on concerns you may have such as asthma, anaphylaxis and seizures.
The course is fully practical offering the chance to revisit skills or learn new ones in a supportive environment. It is offer free to attendees at the GA conference and a certificate will be available for all participants.
Speakers
DP
Tuesday April 15, 2025 2:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Executive suite Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase
 
Wednesday, April 16
 

9:00am PDT

Making connections using a palimpsest approach to learning
Wednesday April 16, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
JHB lecture theatre
This lecture explores how learners at all phases of education can become 'geographical detectives' by using a palimpsest approach to investigate and understand more about the world, helping young people develop a deeper understanding of natural and human landscapes. We'll outline how the concept of palimpsest can be used in the classroom, out in the field and to make connections through GIS. The lecture will also discuss how connections can be made between schools and universities to help support this way of learning.
Speakers
avatar for Dr Alan Marvell

Dr Alan Marvell

Senior Lecturer, Teaching and Learning Lead, University of Gloucestershire
DS

David Simm

Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography, Bath Spa University
DF

Denise Freeman

GA President 2023-24 and Lead practitioner, Oaks Park High School
Wednesday April 16, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am PDT
JHB lecture theatre Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

11:30am PDT

Living cities: connecting young people to nature in their home town
Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
201
Nature has always been crucial for thriving cities, but our relationship with it has changed as we've urbanised. We need to re-connect to nature for sustainable futures. Living cities, a module of UCL-IOE's free Teaching for sustainable futures CPD programme, explores how geography and history teaching can help do this.
Speakers
DM

David Mitchell

Associate Professor, UCL-IOE
Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
201 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

12:30pm PDT

Understanding how our migration creates communities
Wednesday April 16, 2025 12:30pm - 12:55pm PDT
205
This session will explore how children can use their own migration stories to develop an understanding of their connections to the school community. Reflections on an enquiry project of 'life as a migrant' will be shared with other teachers to encourage more student voices in the wider community.
Speakers
BH

Briley Habib

Geography teacher, Markham College
Wednesday April 16, 2025 12:30pm - 12:55pm PDT
205 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

3:30pm PDT

The water cycle: back to basics
Wednesday April 16, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
JHB lecture theatre
We look again at the water cycle, including: how to draw a cloud; how to make a cloud; popular misconceptions we've discovered from our climate literacy survey; the water cycle and climate change; cloud seeding and conspiracy theories; contrails (and chemtrails) and climate change; and changes to the oceans and cryosphere.
Speakers
avatar for Prof Sylvia Knight

Prof Sylvia Knight

Head of Education, Royal Meteorological Society
Sylvia Knight is Head of Education at the Royal Meteorological Society and a visiting Professor in the schools of Education and of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences at the University of Reading. With a background in climate science, her role involves supporting the... Read More →
Wednesday April 16, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
JHB lecture theatre Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

3:30pm PDT

Towards a diverse and inclusive GA: new research insights
Wednesday April 16, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
203
We present the findings of qualitative research conducted by members of the GA's Diversity and Inclusion Working Group. Our analysis of 25 interviews with people from a variety of backgrounds, inside and outside the Association, provides a critical assessment of diversity and inclusion at the GA. Participants are invited to reflect on and help us take the study's recommendations foward.
Speakers
DI

Dr Iram Sammar

Research Engagement Lead, GA
GD
Wednesday April 16, 2025 3:30pm - 4:20pm PDT
203 Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase

4:20pm PDT

How can we connect pupils to climate change on their doorstep?
Wednesday April 16, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
Chakrabarti room
Climate change can often feel distant and abstract to our students; how can we make it more tangible and relevant? Using local places to build connectivity and empowerment? Building connections to far places while representing them in a just way? This lecture leans on evidence about climate change education and geography-curriculum-making to consider how we can use place to support our students' understanding of the climate emergency.
Speakers
MM

Michelle Minton

Geography Curriculum Lead, Climate Adapted Pathways for Education (CAPE)
Wednesday April 16, 2025 4:20pm - 5:10pm PDT
Chakrabarti room Oxford Brookes University,Headington Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP
  Cross phase
 
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

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

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

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

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
 
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