PEWSEY Vale School has won an award honouring outstanding work by the school's geography department.

The school has received the Secondary Geography Quality Mark, praising the department for its methods and delivery of teaching geography. The department had to go through a rigorous moderation, with a team of assessors analysing the teaching of the subject.

Deborah Lythe, subject leader for geography at Pewsey Vale School, said: “I’m delighted that Pewsey Vale School has been award the Secondary Geography Quality Mark. Throughout last year the department and students worked extremely hard, I’m therefore thoroughly pleased the quality of teaching and learning has been recognised within the school.

“As well as acknowledging excellence within a whole school, the Quality Mark also indicates effective team leadership and high quality geography teaching. This will contribute positively to the learning experience of all students studying geography at Pewsey Vale School.”

Carol Grant, the headteacher at Pewsey Vale, was delighted to hear of the geography department receiving the award, praising the work by Mrs Lythe.

Mrs Grant said: "I am delighted that Deborah Lythe’s outstanding work in the geography department has been recognised. Not only did her students achieve 100 per cent A*-C grades at GCSE level this year but she has also provided her students with life changing opportunities, including field trips to Swanage, the Living Rainforest, a river study and an amazing trip to Iceland in the summer term."

All the schools which have received awards will be honoured at the 2017 Geographical Association conference at the University of Guildford next April.

Alan Kinder, chief executive of the GA, said: “There has never been a more important time for all children and young people to study geography. Growing up in the 21st century means living in an increasingly interconnected world, one facing a growing number of global challenges such as climate change and the need to live our lives sustainably.

"Geography not only fascinates and inspires young people, it provides them with the knowledge and understanding they need to live in the modern world. Geography is, as we say in the GA’s manifesto, fundamental to everyone.”