Leading the Geography Department

1
Leading the Geography Department

• GA Secondary Education Section Committee

SESC 2005
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Managers do things right leaders do the right
thing

• Are you doing the right thing?

SESC 2005
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The leadership context

• Rising expectations on subject leaders
• A change in focus from maintenance (management)
  to improvement (leadership)
• A move towards self-evaluation from September 2005

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How well are you doing(and how do you know)?

• How good is the personal development of learners?
• How well does the curriculum meet the needs and
  interests of learners?
• What is the quality of teaching and of assessment
  for learning?
• How good are leadership and management?

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Maintenance or improvement?
Leadership

• 
  Evaluate Key Stage 3 schemes of work
• 
  Agree targets for raising pupils attainment
• 
  Interpret pupil attainment data
• 
  Analyse pupil attainment data
• Feedback to
  colleagues on observations
• Ensure that school policies
  are applied in the department
• Observe teaching
  across the department
• Meet with parents
  to discuss pupil issues
• Set agenda for
  department meetings
• Report to Governors on standards in
  the department
• Minute department
  meetings
• Ensure that internal examinations are set
  and marked
• Allocate books and
  stationery to teachers
• Monitor spending of departmental
  funding
• Purchase new resources and equipment
• Maintain department equipment

Management
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Raising the profile and increasing take-up
Case Study Kirk Hallam Community Technology
College

• 2000 30 geographers
• 38 A-C, 20 A-A
• 2004 77 geographers
• 77 A-C, 48 A-A
• Geography offered in two option blocks against
  all other non-core subjects
• Geography the most popular option since 2000

SESC 2005
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Increasing take-up

• Remodel the Key Stage 3 curriculum
• Develop a range of learning strategies
• Identify GCSE potential in KS3
• Make learning relevant incorporate topical
  issues
• Develop Geography activities through Humanities
  club.
• Promote active citizenship through national and
  international campaigns.
• Develop an exciting Key Stage 4 curriculum and
  residential fieldwork
• Provide support at Key Stage 4 through email
  help, yahoo group, tutorials and revision
  sessions.

SESC 2005
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Raising Achievement at KS3
Case Study Stokesley School, North Yorkshire

• Background
• 11-18 school
• Approx. 220 students in each KS3 Year Group
• The Geography Department
• 5 full time and 1 part time staff
• Issues
• A changing team
• Desire to improve KS3 results
• The vehicle
• Assessment for Learning

SESC 2005
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How did we develop Assessment for Learning?

• Assessment for Learning in everyday lessons
• The formative use of summative assessments
• Self and peer assessment/ comment only marking
• Questioning

SESC 2005
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What do the students say?Q What do you need to
do to improve in Geography?
Use words such as because and therefore to
increase explanation.
I need to improve the detail that I put in
my answers.
Add extra information on the question.
Compare effectively by looking for
similarities and differences.
Improve my listening skills
SESC 2005
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Key Stage 3 Results
SESC 2005
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What made the process successful?

• Short term and long term strategies
• A changing agenda for Dept. meetings
• Taking part in wider school initiatives
• Reducing workload
• An integral part of CPD
• Involving students

SESC 2005
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Strategic leadership tools (I)

• Self-review tool for Achievements, So-Sos and
  Challenges
• Key themes of raising attainment, subject
  profile/take-up, professional and team development

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Strategic leadership tools (II)

• Prioritising tool
• Estimate do-ability
• Consider impact on attainment
• Use chart to discuss future priorities

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Plenary

• Defining effective subject leadership

SESC 2005