... more than the 2015 byelection/recall spaces?

so, maybe we ought to go a bit more of the US hog on this, and codify a written constitution. Too many of these "interpretations" and reliance on the gentlemanly agreements of parliamentary sovereignty may just be leaving a bit of a sour taste...

I do think there's a creeping Americanisation of a number of issues (this is one; "teach people how to pay their taxes" is another good example), where people think it works in a certain way because of the news or the movies or the perception, but it actually isn't like that here.

I think the other component of this - honestly - is that we're mostly ignorant of how much it costs to do these things. Elections and by-elections are expensive - not in 'the government budget' terms, but in the 'pays for a few schools' terms. Do we really want to spend that cash so often?

People "didn't vote for Boris" or "wouldn't vote for Keir" or "might vote for Nigel" - but unless they live in that constituency, they don't have any say in that. That might be what they think or intend, but it's not what happens.

So if A N other MP changes job, why should everyone have a vote?

People don't really know what they're voting for - or have firm ideas, which may/may not align with the reality. Is it the individual? Is it the party? What and how does that connection mean in real terms for by-elections or recalls?

If you vote for your MP, why should a leader change anything?

Reflects on a debate I've recently had with parents about whether there should automatically be a by-election if an MP changes party, and their knowledge about recall petitions or what they think they're voting for.

I think we have a weird system, and the US perceptions cause poor influences.

If you think that's odd, his contribution to peace in the Middle East is going to knock your socks off...

The logistics questions are excellent...

To be fair, we did a Louvre ticket a year or so ago, and we didn't have to do anything special to go see it. No slots or bookings or anything - just mosey in to the room.

We were in Milan and couldn't get the website-based tickets - but a *lot* of "guided experiences" were for sale, so maybe that?

A propos of nothing, there are a few places where I've been terribly disappointed by a masterpiece or supposed experience - but the Vatican/Sistine Chapel is right up there with the "I'd only want to do it on a closed private tour" kind of works of art to see...

... and particularly when there's a few other da Vincis just outside the corridor or the room, and you can stare at them up close and personal for ages...

I think there's the magnifying glass of "instagram" tours or "highlights" of the museum which encourage people to race round one or two things!

A satellite view of the UK at 8am on Monday 13th April 2026, showing largely clear/sunny skies across the UK.

A satellite view of the UK at 11am on Monday 13th April 2026, showing much cloudier skies due to the formation of cumulus clouds over land areas.

Through the month of April the sun is gaining strength☀️

Today is a good example of convection over land. This occurs when the ground heats up, leading to air rising and rapidly cooling, causing the development of cumulus clouds and showers🌦️

👀Look at the change in 3 hours 👇

What’s the point? Creating a future-facing geography curriculum

What’s the point of geography?

I’ve been trying to answer this more precisely. Not in terms of content, but in terms of what geography allows pupils to do.

This was the focus of my @geographicalassoc.bsky.social conference talk.

open.substack.com/pub/enserm/p...?

Youngwilders Special Issue VOLUME 5 ISSUE 2 2026 ISSN 2634-4815 Pages: Editorial Essays This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

🐺 The new issue of #ROUTES is OUT NOW! 🐺

In this Special Issue, we have teamed up with youth-led nature recovery NGO, Youngwilders, to explore the relationship between young people and #rewilding

Read the full issue here: routesjournal.org/youngwilders...

@rgs.org @geographicalassoc.bsky.social

Though presumably, as an orange male (cat), this introspection is short, relatively superficial, and concludes that he is - in fact - the finest specimen of cat that there could be, and there are no changes required: just more adoration from the masses, if you please.

This is still about the cat.

So pretty!

So orange!

So much trouble!

Feels like summer... on 8th April! (Most of) The UK is hot right now... istheukhotrightnow.com

@edhawkins.org

A map of the UK showing how temperatures will compare this time tomorrow with current temperatures. The map shows blues for most with temperatures 5-10 degrees Celsius lower. The exception will be coastal parts of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent where temperatures may be locally 3-5 degrees Celsius higher.

After today's heat, many of us will be reaching for our jumpers on Thursday 👚

Temperatures this time tomorrow will be as much as 10 degrees Celsius lower 📉

Really excited to see you - looking forward to a catch up about kittens, and am expecting *many* photos!

Thinking about studying geography at university? 🎓

Join us on 29 April to hear from a geography admissions tutor and current students, and explore what studying geography is really like.

Book your place 👉www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/c...

High achieving poor pupils less likely to get top GCSE marks New research by UCL finds a dip in academic performance between ages 11 and 14

Only 40 per cent of disadvantaged pupils identified as high-achieving at the start of secondary school go on to achieve top GCSE grades, new research has found
schoolsweek.co.uk/high-achieving-disadvant...

.. or one of those collective bargains that we all "buy in to" (or have to), but if you actually poked it properly it would all be an illusion. Like the value of money. Or whatever.

"When America sneezes, the world catches a cold" - and Trump is still POTUS, so the market will play him like a normal POTUS to a certain extent...

Do think "the markets" are one of those things that we all have a loose understanding of, but about three people could actually explain logically...

Booking is open! Free Teacher conference. Monday 29th June 2026 at Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey. The packed programme of events, all tapping into key themes and skills in the geography curriculum will include keynote lectures, a selection of exciting and informative workshops and a room full of exhibitors, including publishers, exam boards and travel companies. The logos for geography southeast, the Royal Geographical Society and Royal Holloway, University of London are included

Speakers: Steve Brace (GA) Geography – making a difference (incl. review of curriculum developments). Dr Poppy Harding (University of Hertfordshire) Can we teach the Climate Crisis with Optimism? Professor Vandana Desai (Royal Holloway) Tackling diversity in Geography. The RGS Lecture: Professor Oli Mould (Royal Holloway) The Changing City: Alternative uses of Urban Space. Publishers exhibition. Lunch is provided.

Workshop 1 Options (select 1): Dr Adrian Palmer (Royal Holloway) The new eye in the sky: Drone Technology applications in Geography. Graeme Schofield (Oak Academy) Shared resources, different classrooms: Practical approaches to individualising curriculum materials. Karen Corfield (Discover the World Education) Beyond the Map: Inspiring Curiosity and Creativity in Geography Classrooms. Dr Stefan Engels (Royal Holloway) Exploring the Royal Holloway campus: managing aliens, water and much more.

Workshop 2 Options (select 1): Professor Katie Willis (Royal Holloway) Using migration data in the classroom workshop. Katie Hall (ESRI, UK) GIS: Taking your skills further. Rachel Owen (RGS-IBG) In the classroom and the field: exploring RGS resources for schools. Jo Harris (Field Studies Council) Empowering students to be decision makers during fieldwork at GCSE and beyond.

Booking is open for Geography Southeast! A free conference for geography teachers on 29th June at Royal Holloway, University of London.

www.eventbrite.com/e/geography-southeast-teacher-conference-tickets-1984038304979

#geographyteacher #geography
@rgs.org @geographicalassoc.bsky.social

@ahamill.bsky.social @ensermark.bsky.social @alanparkinson.bsky.social @geogmum.bsky.social @geography-emma.bsky.social @geogramblings.com @rob-geog.bsky.social @marymyatt.bsky.social @hannahsassoon.bsky.social @sarahlarsen74.bsky.social @geoblogs.bsky.social

If you were making a list of “key knowledge makers” in geography, who do you think would be on it? Do you think we’d have any sense of an agreement amongst us?

Comment, subscribe and get involved – and huge thanks to Brendan for starting a brilliant discussion and debate!

Thinking like a Geographer: what are the big debates in (secondary) geography? David Preece, Head of Geography ITE, Teach First

Brendan argues that discussions of *how* geography gets constructed are often more important and prominent (learningtoteachgeography.substack.com/p/thinking-l...) than the question of “who constructs it?”, and makes a case for some big names to be part of how we teach the discipline of geography!

Thinking like a Geographer: Knowing the knowledge-makers: Are geographers missing out on disciplinary knowledge? Brendan Conway asks who are the main characters in the stories we tell about our geography? Who are the knowledge-makers, and why don't we know them?

As we approach the Easter holidays for many, it’s great to see a really thought-provoking post from @mildthing99.bsky.social (learningtoteachgeography.substack.com/p/thinking-l...) on disciplinary knowledge and knowledge-makers in Geography.

Many congratulations!

Enjoy using it on National Trust membership. Maybe not so much booking plane tickets...