Westminster Institute of Education

±1.5%:GEOGRAPHY IN PRIMARY P.G.C.E. COURSES

Professor Simon Catling

Westminster Institute of Education

Student time on geography

• Contact time: range 5-15 hours - norm 10.6 hours • 82% 4-8 sessions - norm 5 sessions

• 57% trainees have below 10 hours teaching• 18% 13-18 hours teaching• 10.6 hours = 0.9% of course on geography• 53% courses all or some trainees assessed

• c.30+% at less than 1% course time for geography• c.20% trainees: c.2.5-3.0% of course on geography

Westminster Institute of Education

Purpose of geography units

• Introduce trainees to FS/KS1/KS2 requirements• Focus on active approaches to learning & teaching• Use relevant resources, fieldwork, etc• Develop trainees’ subject understanding and

enthusiasm

• Covering place studies, enquiry and mapwork• Most cover environmental matters, ICT use and

planning & assessment• 49% identify cross-curricular connections

Westminster Institute of Education

Geography tutoring

• 55% units taught by sole tutor; 28% by two tutors• 45% units taught by solely primary geographers• 83% units teaching staff include primary experience• 17% tutors on short-term contracts

• 45% sessions over a sequence of weeks• 32% sessions irregularly timetabled

• 50% teaching groups 26-30 trainees• Most groups either EY or KS1/2

Westminster Institute of Education

Geography’s status

• Non-core subjects 2nd best in primary curriculum• Non-core subject 2nd best in primary PGCE courses• Geography not compulsory, and 94% provide• Geography/history paired because similar

approaches, organisation and skills• No need to develop subject understanding in non-

core subjects• Geography at ±1.5% of primary PGCE trainee’s

course• Being realistic: little more course time available

Westminster Institute of Education

Making progress

• Addressing the optional context for geography in primary ITT

• Pushing for greater priority for non-core subjects in primary ITT

• Developing primary geography tutors’ support systems and network

• Through the new teaching career standards, press for increased access to geography CPD expectations and opportunities