Geographical Association branches

Are they the “bridge” between schools and universities?

GA branch survey 2007

• In Spring 2007 a full survey of all branches was undertaken

• 32 out of 36 active branches responded to the survey.

• Frances Soar of the GA distributed the surveys

• Survey conducted by Teresa Davison and Richard Yarwood

Survey results

• 65% of branches have been operating for over 40 years and only 15% are “new wave” branches

• 25% of all branch activities are lectures aimed at 16+ students

• 22% are for the World Wise Quiz

• 21% are lectures aimed at the general public

Membership

• 23 branches had up to 19 members from school staff

• 7 branches had over 100 school students as members

• 22 branches had up to 19 members who were university staff

• 7 branches had up to 19 university students as members

• 13 branches had up to 19 members who were from the general public

• It would appear that there is a strong link between schools’ needs and what the branches are providing

Has membership changed in the last 5 years?

Membership

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nu

mb

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f b

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yes

no

don't know

no reply

Why?

• INCREASE• Better advertising• Good programme• Increase in school

membership• More retired have joined• Non-academic programme

introduced• More PGCE students

attending

• DECREASE• Fewer teachers attending• Decline in school membership• Lack of GA publicity• Younger teachers not

attending• Membership

ageing/attendance declining• If programme is not A level

specific teachers/students will not attend

On average how many attend meetings?

attendance

0

2

4

6

8

10

1

average numbers attending

num

ber o

f bra

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s

1 to 20 21-40 41-60 61-80 81-100 101-120

What influences turnout?

• Relevance to A level • Publicity• Keenness of staff• Choice of speaker• Good workshops• Possibility of fieldtrips

• 30 positive comments were made

• Weather• Clashes with school

events• Teachers’ workload• Distance of travel

• 22 negative comments were made

What influences turnout?

• Are meetings well attended?

55% said yes

negative views

teachers' workload

clashes with schoolevents

teachers' family orworkload commitments

weather

What influences turnout? positive views

relevance to A level

publicity

choice of speaker

Which groups attend meetings and are committee members?

attendance

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

state schoolteachers

state schoolpupils

private schoolteachers

members ofthe public

universitylecturers

committee members

0

5

10

15

20

25

state schoolteachers

universitylecturers

How are committee members chosen?

• 41% were by election

• Interesting comments

“can’t get people to help” =2

“do it all myself” =2

interested individuals putting themselves forward =5

Why do you serve on the committee?

Why do you serve on the committee?

0

5

10

15

20

to promoteGeography

enablesbranch to

continue toexist

retired HumanitiesSpecialistCollege

obligation

bran

ches

Where do you hold your meetings?

•

42%

38%

Links with universities

• 91% of branches had links with a UK university

• Most branches felt that they could be better supported by universities e.g. arranging lectures

• Lectures for prospective HE students• Help with advertising• However 4 branches said no further help

needed

Is there more that the GA could do to support branches?

• More advertising on the website• Active list of speakers• Free entry for GA branch committee members to

GA events• Events insurance• Headed notepaper• Offer prizes for local World Wise Quiz events• Names of members in local area (these are a small selection of the comments

made)

How do you advertise?

• Programme 27%

• Website 13%

• Through schools 22%

• Universities 11%

Does your branch has its own website?

0

5

10

15

20

yes no don’t know beingdeveloped

lapsed

bra

nch

es

Does your branch have its own website?

Does your branch have links to Humanities status schools?

Links with Humanities Schools

yes

no

don't know

How is your branch funded?

How is your branch funded?

subs

entrance fees

Specialism money fromschool

How do you choose topics?

How do you choose topics?

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theme availablity committeesuggestions

suitable for Alevel

local/widerissues

bra

nch

es

How do you choose speakers?

How do you choose speakers?

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labi

lity

dist

ance

cost

pers

onal

cont

acts

GA

con

fere

nce

spea

kers

GA

spe

aker

list

univ

ersi

ty li

nks

seen

som

ewhe

re e

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reco

mm

enda

tions

bra

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Do you have difficulty attracting speakers?

Do you have difficulty attracting speakers?

yes

no

Why?Cost of travel, speakers’ feesSpeakers not willing to travel

Lecturers too busy with research workResearch led universities not willing to support school level

educationTakes time to book someone

Lack of availabilityLack of response to invites

What in your opinion makes a good lecture?

What makes a good lecture?

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livel

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rele

vant

to

Ale

vel

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acce

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dien

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bra

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es

Do branches have any links at national level?

Have you heard of “New Wave” branches?

Links at national level

yes

no

World Wide Quiz

no reply

Have you heard of New Wave branches?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

yes no no reply

bran

ches

How important is your branch in the teaching of school age Geography? • 16+ very important =6 important =15 don’t know/unsure unimportant =6• GCSE/KS3 important =5 don’t know/unsure very important =5 unimportant =18• Primary very important/important/don’t

know/unsure =7• unimportant =21

What are the best features or achievements of your branch?

What are the achievements of your branch?

0

2

4

6

8

10

lectures World WideQuiz

keepinggoing

maintainingmembership

fieldtrips

bra

nch

es

What are the main problems/obstacles facing your

branch?

What are the obstacles/problems to running your branch?

time pressures oncommittee

teachers not willing togive up evenings

lack of interest fromstate schools

recruiting new members

Are there any ways you would like to see the branch improve?

• 71% said yes

• More members

• Younger committee

• More university input

• More member participation

• More publicity

• More commitment from younger teachers

Do you think your branch has a strong future?

• 62% said yes Why? commitment of members, new programme, lots

of interest, varied programme, well attended, if free rooms continue, focussed members, reputation

Why not? ageing members, too busy lack of support from

schools, if committee changed branch would fold, no-one willing to take it forward, lack of volunteers, fees

All things considered, would you consider your branch as….

• Vibrant =21%

• Active =58%

• Barely active =4 replies

• Sleeping =0

• No reply to question =2 replies

In conclusion…why?

• Lack of school interest• Teachers don’t need GA branches• Branch will cease soon• Poor attendanceBUT• Social events popular• Develop INSET• Enthusiastic committee/members• Brings Geography to a wider community• Good attendance/activities

Without Geography you are nowhere…..