Saint Gregory’s Bath has just been awarded the Secondary Geography Quality Mark (SGQM) by the Geographical Association. The SGQM award recognises high quality teaching and learning, student attainment, progress and achievement in
areas such as geographical knowledge, understanding, values, skills and concepts. The Geographical Association congratulated the St. Gregory’s Geography department on their ‘collective dedication and dynamism’. The GA also commented that ‘in addition to establishing a comprehensive and varied programme of fieldwork, work to develop enquiry and critical thinking is most impressive’.

Heather Hillier-Brown, Curriculum leader of Humanities and the Geography lead teacher, is absolutely delighted to receive the award; ‘the Geography team and I have worked hard to ensure that the Geography provision at St. Gregory’s is not only outstanding, but that students enjoy learning about their local area, as well as the wider world through both theory and fieldwork. This is reflected in the number of students choosing Geography both at GCSE and at A level. We look forward to working towards the GA’s prestigious award of Centre of Excellence over the next three years’.

Headteacher Raymond Friel said: “Humanities has always been strong at St. Gregory’s and this prestigious award for Geography is no less than they deserve. Congratulations to Mrs Hillier-Brown and the team for their exceptional work. A good knowledge and understanding of our physical and human world has always been an essential part of the rounded Christian education we offer.”

Alan Kinder, Chief Executive of the GA, says: ‘There has never been a more important time for all children and young people to study Geography. Growing up in the 21st century means living in an increasingly interconnected world, one facing a growing number of global challenges such as climate change and the need to live our lives sustainably. Geography not only fascinates and inspires young people, it provides them with the knowledge and understanding they need to live in the modern world’.