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About the GA Awards
The annual GA Awards ceremony recognises the achievements of individuals, schools and publishers during the previous year. The 2018 GA Awards were presented at the GA Annual Conference at Sheffield Hallam University.
GA Annual Award for Excellence
This is the award for excellence service to the GA. This year’s award goes to Rob Lucas. Rob Lucas has made a significant contribution to geography throughout his career. Rob was a tutor, then Head of Centre, and established Field Studies Council Blencathra. He has inspired thousands to care for, learn about and value their environment. As CEO of the Field Studies Council from 2009-18, Rob steered the organisation through times of challenging curriculum change. He has used every opportunity to support the discipline of geography and done much to ensure that fieldwork remains central to school geography.
Through his leadership in fieldwork, Rob has inspired many people to think of themselves as geographers. He has enabled a generation of tutors to deliver courses that ensure students experience the very best of geography in the field.
Rob is the epitome of ‘Real World Geography’ and it is most fitting that he receives this award.
GA Outstanding Service Diploma
This award is given for outstanding service to the GA through membership of and contribution to the work of its committees and special interest groups. This year’s awardees are Helen Hore, Kate Russell, Nicola Hawley and Adam Nichols.
Award for Excellence in Leading Geography
This award is presented to those articles in each of our journals that have made the greatest contribution to the development of good practice, as decided by a poll on the GA website.
This year’s winners are:
Primary Geography
Challenging geography through silent debate’
Stephen Ellis and Michael McCarthy
Autumn 2017
Teaching Geography
‘Plate update: refreshing ideas for teaching plate tectonics’
Duncan Hawley and John Lyon
Spring 2017
Geography
‘Seeing cities through urban art’
Andrew Kirby
Spring 2017
Geography
‘Coastal resilience and vulnerability: storm impacts, extreme weather and regional variability in the UK, winter 2013-14’
Sue Brooks
Summer 2017
GA Publishers’ Awards
The GA Awards are given for materials associated with geography in schools and colleges that are considered to make a significant contribution to geographical education and professional development. This year we have awarded in the Highly Commended and Silver categories.
The Awards are as follows:
Highly Commended: The Key to the National Curriculum: Naples and the Campania Region
B&C Educational Ltd
Highly Commended: Living in the shadows of Italy’s volcanoes
Discover the World Education
Highly Commended: Can Trade lift people out of poverty?
Fairtrade Foundation
Highly Commended: Patricks Virtual Visit
Fairtrade Foundation
Highly Commended: My dad the fisherman
Marine Stewardship Council
Highly Commended: London Now London Future
Museum of London
Royal Geographical Society with IBG
Highly Commended: Subject Knowledge Podcasts
Royal Geographical Society with IBG
Highly Commended: GCSE AQA Teaching Pack: Urban Issues and Challenges
ZigZag Education
Highly Commended: Topic on a page for GCSE AQA Geography
ZigZag Education
Silver: Developing Enquiry and Fieldwork Skills in GCSE Geography
Atebol
Silver: ArcGIS Online for Schools
EsriUK
Silver: The Pillowcase Project London
British Red Cross
Silver: Climate Change Negotiations Pack for Schools
Royal Meteorological Society
Silver: Debates in Geography Education, 2nd edition
Taylor and Francis
Download full Highly Commended citations
Download full Silver citations
The GA Rex Walford Geography Student Teacher Award
The GA Rex Walford Geography Student Teacher Award recognises inspirational and innovative geography teaching practice (at primary or secondary level) developed by an individual during their period of ITE. It takes its cue from Rex’s remarkable contribution to geography ITE in the UK over many years. He was a man of unquenchable enthusiasm and optimism and a highly gifted teacher.
We hope this award will encourage, inspire and remind us all of what can be achieved through innovative and imaginative geography teaching.
This year’s award goes to Will Fry.
WorldWise
Worldwise runs a number of competitions for students. The team from Thomas Adams School, Shropshire (Megan Bailey, Thomas Watts and Eve Coburn) won the 2017 Worldwise Challenge Weekend at Blencathra Field Studies Centre.
The International Geography Olympiad is a competition for the best 16-19 year old geography students from all over the world. George Breckenridge, George Reid, Mary Rice and Oliver Osei-Asibey won a GA competition to represent the GA at 2017’s event in Belgrade, Serbia. Bree Livesey, Zachary Elliott, Sophie Bagot Jewitt and James Cartledge have been selected to represent the GA at this year’s International Geographical Olympiad in Québec City, Canada.
Physical Geography Photo Competition
This competition offers a chance for secondary students to showcase their photography skills with a focus on physical geography. The winners from the 11-14 category are:
1st Prize goes to Aron Arnason from Colyton Grammar School
2nd Prize goes to Madeleine Bainbridge from Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls
And 3rd Prize goes to Neil Triparthi from St Olave’s Grammar School, Orpington
And from the 14-18 category:
1st Prize goes to James Weir from Lancaster Royal Grammar School
2nd Prize goes to Jamie Phillips from Sheldon School, Wiltshire
And 3rd Prize goes to Seb Granville from King’s College, Taunton
View the website article for large versions of the winning photos
Frederick Soddy Awards
These awards aim to encourage students’ interest in fieldwork by providing financial support specifically for out-of-classroom projects.
This year’s winners are:
- Hillcrest Community School Denny
- Falinge Park High School
- Elliott Hudson College
- Fleckney Church Primary
- Seven Kings School
- Invergordon Academy
- Manchester Creative and Media Academy
- Temple Sowerby School
- Whitley Park Primary and Nursery School
Quality Marks
The GA’s Primary and Secondary Quality Marks exist to recognise quality and progress in geography leadership, curriculum development, teaching and learning.
