It was quiet in the office with so many people out on holidays, or project work.
Good to meet up with Primary colleagues Paula Owens and Wendy North as well as fellow moderators Dick Palfrey, Greg Cracknell and Arthur Kelly and administrator Julie Beattie.
We were moderating half of the portfolios for this year's tranche of Primary Geography Quality Mark applications.
The process is very rigorous, with each application being looked at for between 2 and 3 hours, with notes made on each, and the evidence that has been provided being used to fill in a matrix which has a series of sections to consider. We are looking for the 'story' of how the school has changed its offering of geography by going through the process.
Is there geography strong across most areas of the school ? This could potentially be a Bronze QM school. Is geography strong across the whole school at all key stages ? This could be a Silver QM school. Is the school strong in all those things, and also shares its practice with schools in the surrounding area ? If so, that could be a Gold QM school.
We looked at some excellent applications, some of which were seen by three or four different people or paired up, so that we were secure in our thinking, particular for those applications which were on the border between two of the award levels. There were lots of discussions and thoughts about the process and how to improve all aspects of it. It was good to chat and talk with people who I don't often get the chance to work with.
Those schools which applied will be informed some time this week if they have been successful.
It's worth mentioning that all GA members can have access to the VLE for the Primary and Secondary Geography Quality Mark. Useful for those who are, or who are thinking of, applying for one of the GA's Quality Marks....
I will be back in Sheffield in the first week of August for 2 days moderating the Secondary Geography Quality Mark applications for 2012....
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