Why is GCSE geography more popular in some schools? Paul Weeden University of Birmingham

Why is GCSE geography more popular in some schools?

Paul Weeden

University of Birmingham

Student interest

• Individual interest– Where does this come from?– Personality; Life history; Media

• Situational interest– Teaching; Engagement; Activities

• Topic interest– Maintained; Enhanced; reduced

Student Interest in geography

Student

PersonalityMotivation

Life ExperiencesIndividual Interest

GeographyCurriculumPedagogyTeachers

Situational Interest

Topic Interest

ExternalInfluences

FamilyPeers

CommunityMedia

Student perceptions of geography

• Enjoy

• Aspirations

• Usefulness

• Aptitude

• Teachers

Student perceptions

Student





Perceptions of Geography

Topic InterestEnjoy

AspirationsUsefulness

Aptitude

Examination entry and overall student’ performance

Overall Performance Total

Geography GCSE

History GCSE

IT GCSE

IT vocational

Sport / PE

GCSE No of

Candidates 18180 6064 5936 4536 4161 3947

Low 23% 14% 11% 15% 21% 19%

average 39% 37% 34% 38% 43% 45%

high 38% 49% 55% 47% 36% 36%

Examination entry - selected subjects and overall performance

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

low average high

student' overall performance

% o

f sub

ject

ent

ry Total

Geography

History

IT gcse

IT vocational

Sport / PE

Whole school factors

• ‘Type’ of school (student intake)– categories

Type of School: Student Intake

Type of School

Definition based on student intake

1 Selective Most students from the top 20-30% of national performance

2 Comprehensive plus

All attainments, but more students within the top 50% of national performance.

3 Comprehensive All attainments, more or less even mix across the performance range.

4 Comprehensive minus

All attainments, but very few from the top 25% of national performance

5 Comprehensive ‘modern’

Few students from the top 50% of national performance, most in bottom 50%.

Type of school: Area

Student Intake % of Number on roll

Big City New Town Rural County All areas

1 Selective 48% 47% 57% 49%

2 Comprehensive ‘plus’ 33% 47% 44% 39%

3 Comprehensive 30% 35% 45% 36%

4 Comprehensive ‘minus’ 27% 30% 43% 28%

5 Comprehensive ‘modern’ 20% 20%

Comprehensive Total 27% 38% 45% 32%

Overall Total 29% 37% 45% 33%

Entry by intake

High, 79%

High, 64%

High, 100%

High, 66%

High, 41%

Mean, 50%

Mean, 39% Mean, 36%

Mean, 28%

Mean, 20%Low, 20%

Low, 10%Low, 14%

Low, 0% Low, 0%0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

selective Comprehensive plus

comprehensive 'modern‘ comprehensive

Type of School

% o

f n

um

ber

on

ro

ll

comprehensive

minus

Whole school factors

• ‘Type’ of school (student intake)– categories

• Option choice system– Free choice; blocks; differentiated

• Range of subjects– Varies with LEA; type of school; specialism

• Influences– Government priorities; vocational; parental; SMT;

staffing

Whole School Factors

Student






External Influences

PoliciesCommunity

Funding

Whole School FactorsType of School (student intake)

Option choice System (Free/Blocks/Sets)Range of subjects

Departments and teachers

• National influences– GNC; Secondary strategies; subject

associations

• Teachers– Age; responsibilities; life history

• Quality of teaching and learning– Subject leadership; resources; departmental

‘coherence’; teacher

Geography department influence

Student






ExternalInfluences

GNCStrategiesGA (RGS)Universities

Geography

Curriculumresources

DepartmentSubject leadership; coherence

Teachers Age; Responsibility; Life History

PedagogySituational Interest

Subjects

CoreKS3 subjects

‘New’ subjectsCurriculum; department;

Pedagogy; teachers

Other departments

Student



Geography

CurriculumDepartmentTeachers Pedagogy




Perceptions Of otherSubjects

Decision Making

Outcomes

Core Options

Decision MakingAspirations; UsefulnessLiking; Aptitude; Advice

Subjects

Core

KS3 subjects

‘New’ subjects

Student



Geography

CurriculumDepartmentTeachers Pedagogy




Perceptions of otherSubjects

Case Study 1:Rural comprehensive

• Successful department – Above average grades at GCSE and A-level

• Specialist Technology College (2001)• SMT change option structures

– HoD accepts changes• Numbers drop catastrophically• In fewer option blocks• Results outstanding

Case study 2 Inner city: ‘Modern’ Comprehensive

• School performance: 10-20% A-C• 4 option bands

1. Core + 4 GCSEs2. Core + 2 GCSEs + 1 vocational double award3. Core + 2 vocational double awards4. Basic skills curriculum

• Geography popular and successful– Young enthusiastic department– Controlled environment– Geography results improve (67% - A*-C)

Whole School Moderating Variables

Type of School; School location; Specialist Status; School leadership;

Policies and practice; Option choice system

Student Intake

Outcome

Student Subject Choice

Student

PersonalityAptitude

MotivationAspirationsPerceptions

Influences on student subject choice

Adapted from Leithwood and Levin (2005)

Decisionmaking

Departmental Mediating Variables

Subject Leaders; Teachers; Curriculum; Pedagogy

Core M; E; Sc

OptionsMFL; DT; IT; RE; PE

H; Mu; A;

New Subjects10-20 GCSEs

and Vocational Qualifications

G

Documents

Why is GCSE geography more popular in some schools? Paul Weeden University of Birmingham