The Primary Geography Quality Mark

The Primary Geography Quality Mark (PGQM)

Getting started

Discuss the implications of applying for the PGQM with colleagues and your senior leadership team. Gather support, both in terms of finance and planning time, to enable you to successfully complete the collaborative process of reflection.

Check on your school’s membership status – Please note your school must be a member of the GA when you register for the award. Click the ‘Become a member’ button below, then click ‘Register for the Quality Mark’. You can join online or by calling GA HQ on 0114 296 0088.

Listen to what teachers have to say about the Primary Quality Mark:

How do I achieve the PGQM?

Register – You can register at any point but the deadline for each cohort is the first week of November each year.

Audit – Use the PGQM framework to audit the subject, deciding whether each criteria is embedded, secure or an area for development. It is a good idea to do this collaboratively and to tie it in to your subject development plan, School Improvement Plan and staff appraisal targets.

Data Dashboard – Complete the Data Dashboard section of the application form on the host platform, ‘PebblePad’ in March. This will include information about your school’s geography provision at the start of the process.

Collect evidence and complete PGQM application – You will need to provide evidence for each criteria on the PGQM framework. This is the step which takes the most time – at least two terms is usual – and is used by the moderators to assess your submission. Your application should tell the story of your school to include the areas you want to celebrate and the aspects you have developed. PebblePad will enable you to add and save to your evidence portfolio continuously until the final deadline.

Submission – PebblePad will save and store your application, complete with any supporting documentation, keeping it safe until it auto-locks at the end of deadline day in June.

Returning PGQM schools have the option to showcase their geography with a school visit rather than presenting an online portfolio. There is an additional fee of £200 for this option to cover moderation costs.

If you are a returning school and would like to take advantage of this option please choose the relevant option on the registration form or if you have any questions contact Julie Beattie or Jon Cannell.

Testimonials

"The PGQM process has raised the profile of Geography at Ash Green; we have whole school Geography projects and we use assembly times to discuss current news topics."

"As a leader, it really helped how detailed the audit was so that you could analyse the geography curriculum in more detail. The CPD provided by the GA was very good and really helpful."

"Staff were excited to help build evidence and were supportive with the materials provided in the staff meeting. The PGQM has highlighted a lot of positives I didn't realise were there in terms of assessment and subject profile."

"By taking part in the PGQM application it has made all the staff more reflective teachers. It has also generated lots of fantastic talk about geography within the school and about our next steps"

What’s involved?

The Primary Geography Quality Mark is underpinned by 20 criteria or key indicators which have been carefully created and developed by expert primary geography teachers to guide schools to both improve and showcase their geography provision.

The framework of key indicators is split into four sections which parallel Ofsted’s 2025 inspection framework, see examples in the table below, and have been updated to empower schools to seamlessly transition across to the revised National Curriculum for Geography in 2028.

High quality geography provision within a primary school will support all pupils to grow and develop cognitively, socially, emotionally and personally and a submission which includes evidence for each of the 20 criteria will demonstrate that this is happening within your school.

What’s in it for your school?

While we hope that all schools will successfully complete the PGQM and achieve an award to recognise this, it is important to recognise that the process of self-evaluation, development and improvement for your whole department is possibly even more valuable. The fee that the school pays covers:

Access to the workbook which includes the key indicator framework, support, guidance and exemplification of high-quality practice
Registration at the support webinars
Access to our online community where you can network with other teachers who are engaging with the Geography Quality Mark
Bespoke support and guidance from GA staff throughout the process
The assessment and moderation of the quality of geography being taught in your school by our expert team of geography educators
A certificate and detailed feedback on your submission so that know where to focus your next steps
Permission to use the Primary Geography Quality Mark logo in your work for the three years that you hold the award
An invitation to our celebration event, held in the autumn term, which includes the opportunity to network as well as some professional development input.