As the Curriculum Director of Geography for Meridian Trust, Mike Smith is not just a leader but a mentor, supporting teachers and students alike. He’s on a mission to inspire the next generation of geographers, advocating for high-quality fieldwork experiences and the integration of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) into the learning experience.
Mike joined Meridian Trust in the autumn of 2023, and we spoke to him to find out more about him and the role.
Mike, tell us more about your background working in education.
I completed a BSc at the University of Birmingham, graduating with First Class (Hons) in 2010. My dissertation on ‘Winter precipitation variability across East Anglia, and its effect of River Discharge’ was published in the International Journal of Climatology. I then also completed my PGCE and MEd at the University of Birmingham. My MEd dissertation involved looking into students’ perception of geography fieldwork; I continue to be passionate about providing high-quality fieldwork experiences to students, as part of the curriculum.
I have been a Geography teacher for 11 years, working in two schools. For nine of those years, I have been a Head of Department. It was a real privilege to drive up standards in teacher pedagogy and improve students’ outcomes during this time. I also enjoyed leading many international field trips to Costa Rica, Iceland, Morocco and Sicily. Furthermore, I am a GCSE examiner for AQA, and enjoy being a member of the Assessment and Examinations Special Interest Group (AESIG) for the Geographical Association. I am currently completing my NPQSL, which I am finding fascinating and is helping me to build my skill set for my role within Meridian Trust.
How have you found your first term working for Meridian Trust?
I have really enjoyed working in the Trust; my first term was both busy and brilliant! It has been so lovely to travel round all the secondary schools and meet the staff and students. There is a real ‘buzz’ within the Geography community, and all of my colleagues are really up for helping out one another, highlighting why it is great working in a multi-academy Trust that, at its core, really values its staff, so that they are able to really deliver for the students.
I feel like I have been involved in a lot already! It has been a pleasure to teach A-level in one of the schools, mentor an ECT in another, assist with running several fieldwork opportunities to Hunstanton, Cambridge and Lincoln, plan and deliver a subject training day, organise cross-Trust moderation, create a set of grade boundaries based on the grade distributions that fit the students in our cohort, and facilitate more resource sharing between the schools.
What are your priorities for the geography curriculum?
My aim for the geography curriculum is to inspire our students with an interest in, and a sense of wonder about the world around them. I also want to equip our students to become independent learners with the ability to question, investigate and to think critically about issues affecting a dynamically changing world both now and in the future.
My priorities for moving forward are to help build a stimulating, broad and balanced Geography curriculum from entry level, up to leaving level in each secondary school, that reflects the key intentions of the National Curriculum, strongly supports the GCSE and A-level courses and creates a coherent learning journey that develops and fosters key knowledge and skills so that students become outstanding geographers. This will begin through the Curriculum Development Group that I am soon to launch. Furthermore, I want each school to achieve the highest possible standards in examinations with maximum enjoyment of the subject, provide staff with a variety of teaching and learning resources so that an all-inclusive programme of study is followed and to build up our expertise in delivering fieldwork, using GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and AI, so that the students are well equipped for the future.
I also plan on growing Geography enrichment opportunities across the Trust by running a Worldwise Geography Quiz for Y9 and Y10 students to compete in (with help from the Geographical Association), as well as organising an XI Form lecture series to inspire our A Level geographers about the importance of researching contemporary issues and the types of careers that studying Geography during Higher Education can lead to.
Tell us about the Curriculum Development Group and the opportunity this brings.
Launching in February 2024, this group is going to ‘get the ball rolling’ with regards to looking into and planning a more aligned Geography Curriculum (including assessments) across all the geography departments in the Trust.
We will start looking at KS4 first, due to the fact that all schools teach the AQA specification, so it will be a matter of ‘reorganisation’ for some, rather than complete overhaul. Furthermore, when planning a robust curriculum, it is important to work out our ‘end point’ before we think about mapping the KS3 learning journey. I’m really looking forward to getting this initiative started, so that the pedagogy, outcomes and profile of Geography can be raised.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
In my spare time I enjoy playing tennis and badminton, as well as having lots of family adventures with my wife (who is also a Geography teacher) and my two children.