Research Around the Curriculum

Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (2019):

Emphasizes the importance of schools providing an “ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum.”

States that inspectors will assess “the extent to which the school’s curriculum sets out the knowledge and skills that pupils will gain.”
Highlights the role of “sequencing that is logical and progressive” in curriculums.
Geography is included as one of the core subjects for inspecting curriculum quality and standards.

Ofsted Research Review Series: Geography (2011):

Found fieldwork, local area studies, and map skills are important starting points for primary geography.

Emphasized “the role of knowledge, skills and understanding in shaping pupils’ views of the world.”
Recommended broad topics like water, weather, settlements to engage pupils.
Noted teacher subject knowledge, resources, planning and assessment impact quality.

Ofsted Subject Professional Development Materials: Geography (2020):

Organizations:

The Geographical Association:

Publishes a wide range of research-informed curriculum guidance documents for primary schools.
Their Primary Geography journal highlights effective teaching strategies and case studies.
Extensive library of CPD resources including webinars, self-study courses, workshops and conferences.
Develops research-based teaching units, fieldwork resources, atlases, and assessment materials for purchase.
Grants available for teachers to undertake action research or geography investigations.

Royal Geographical Society:

Involved in educational research projects, surveys and publications focused on geography.
Created the Geography Quality Mark award to help schools evaluate their curriculum.
Offers geography-focused professional development courses for teachers.

Provides educational resources like maps, videos and publications to members.
Engages in outreach through public lectures, community projects and youth participation.

National Geographic Education:

Funds geography education research like the National Geographic Geo-Inquiry surveys.
Develops instructional resources aligned to research on high-quality geography education.

Provides professional development webinars and training focused on concepts like spatial thinking.
Administers grants to teachers to support geography teaching and projects.
Shares real-world case studies, lesson plans, activities linked to researchers and explorers

Academic Research:

International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education:

Publishes empirical studies on innovations in geography teaching methods, curriculum, assessments etc.
Recent topics include spatial thinking in the curriculum, virtual fieldtrips, diversity in geography, social justice pedagogy.
Provides insights into effective teaching strategies backed by academic research studies.
Includes literature reviews synthesizing key research around issues in geography education.

International Journal of Early Years Education:

Covers studies on improving preschool and early primary geography and environmental education.
Sample topics: children’s spatial skills development, play-based geography learning, concepts of place and space.
Highlights creative, child-centered approaches to nurturing curiosity about the world.
Connects child development research to building locational knowledge and mapping from a young age.

Journal of Geography in Higher Education:

Research on undergraduate geography education provides implications for teacher training.
Insights into student-centered teaching methods, curriculum design, fieldwork, assessment etc.
Articles analyze key geographical concepts, themes, and ways of thinking that are foundational.
Research on effective educational technology integration applicable to schools.