ESTA - More About Us


More about ESTA

Our Aim

The aim of the Earth Science Teachers’ Association (ESTA) is to advance education by encouraging and supporting the teaching of Earth sciences at all levels, whether as a single subject such as Geology, or as part of Science or Geography or other courses.

The Association has been helping teachers at all levels for more than 40 years and continues to develop in response to emerging educational challenges.

What can ESTA offer you?

Our magazine, Teaching Earth Sciences, is published four times a year. It contains articles on classroom, laboratory and field teaching, news and resources, curriculum updates, book and website reviews and more.
An Annual Course and Conference that is held over a long weekend (Friday – Sunday) in September. It offers a range of in-service training, academic updating, ideas for teaching and fieldwork, plus exhibits of resources. Conferences are held at venues across the country, with recent conferences at Derby, Bristol and Belfast.
Resources specific to Primary teachers, covering the Earth science elements of the National Curriculum, and exploring links with other subjects. These include quarterly issues of Teaching Primary Earth Science and teaching packs featuring soils and rocks.
Resources specific to Secondary, Further and Higher Education teachers, including GEOTREX (web based resources for the teaching and learning of geology at GCSE and A level) and Earth Science Experiments (a CD collection of over 90 experiments designed for use by 'A' level and undergraduate students).
Initiatives such as the Earth Science Education Unit (ESEU) and the Joint Earth Science Education Initiative (JESEI). These have been instigated by ESTA to provide Secondary teachers with flexible in-service training and activities to ‘bring Earth science to life’.
Real value-for-money ESTA teaching materials, including rock and fossil practical kits, wall maps and the Primary Level Packs: Working with Rocks and Working with Soils.
Engagement with examination boards and educational organisations, allowing you to keep abreast of curriculum development, syllabuses and assessment methods.
A network of fellow members and a dedicated website to support your Earth science teaching. On a broader scale, ESTA supports Earth science education in the wider community, typically through partnerships.

ESTA Rules

Council Reports 2006-7

The following reports were provided at the 40th Annual General Meeting of ESTA at the Belfast University on 16th September 2007:

AGM Papers

Historical Record of the Association

Name of the Association
Association of Teachers of Geology Earth Science Teachers' Association	1967 - 1988 1988 -
Steering Committee Chairman
Dr. Douglas Bassett	1967 - 1968
Chairman / President
Prof. Leslie Moore Dr. Douglas Bassett Prof. Neville George Prof. David Dineley Prof. John Kirkaldy Prof. John Sutton Mr. John Thomas Prof. Derek Ager Dr. John Phillips Prof. Ken Walton Prof. Gilbert Kelling Prof. Richard Owen Dr. Reg Bradshaw Mr. David Thompson Dr. Chris Wilson	1968 - 1969 1969 - 1970 1970 - 1971 1971 - 1972 1972 - 1973 1973 - 1974 1974 - 1975 1975 - 1976 1976 - 1978 1978 - 1980 1980 - 1982 1982 - 1984 1984 - 1986 1986 - 1988 1988 - 1990
Until 1990 Presidents were 'working' Chairmen. Subsequently, the roles were split between 'figurehead' Presidents and 'working' Chairmen.

President		Chairman
Prof. Chris Wilson Dr. John Jennings Mr. Richard Hardman Sir John Knill Dr. Keith Duff Dr. Alan McKirdy Dr. Martin Whiteley	1990 - 91 1991 - 93 1993 - 95 1995 - 97 1997 - 99 1999 - 01 2001 - 03	Mr. Chris King Mr. Peter Kennett Dr. Dee Edwards Mr. Duncan Hawley Dr. Neil Thomas Mr. Ian Thomas Dr. Geraint Owen Dr. Martin Whiteley Dr. Dawn Windley	1990 - 92 1992 - 94 1994 - 96 1996 - 98 1998 - 00 2000 - 02 2002 - 04 2004 - 06 2006 -
Secretary		Assistant Secretary
Dr. John Harpum Mr. Anthony Dunk Mr. Alun Thomas Mr. David Scott Mr. Michael Collins Mr. Graham Sparks Dr. Geraint Owen Dr. Dawn Windley Mrs. Susan Beale Ros Todhunter	1968 - 71 1971 - 73 1973 - 76 1976 - 79 1979 - 89 1989 - 91 1991 - 00 2000 - 03 2003 - 07 2007 -	Dr. John Weaver Mr. Peter Jones Mr. Steve Alcock Mr. Peter Cotterell	1976 - 78 1978 - 79 1979 - 81 1981 - 85
Treasurer		Assistant Treasurer
Mr. John Myers Mr. Barrie Whitfield Mr. Steve Alcock Mr. John Reynolds Revd. Geoffrey Hunter Dr. Maggie Williams	1967 - 77 1977 - 81 1981 - 85 1985 - 97 1997 - 03 2003 -	Mr. Peter Williams	1976 - 84
Membership Secretary
Dr. Dianna Thurston Mrs. Julie Pendry Mrs. Sheila Rogers Ms. Polly Rhodes Ms. Jane Butterfield Mr. Owain Thomas Mr. Hamish Ross Mandy Winstanley	1984 - 85 1985 - 88 1988 - 95 1995 - 00 2000 - 01 2001 - 04 2004 - 07 2007 -
Honorary Life Members
Mr. John Thomas Mr. John Myers Mr. David Thompson Mr. Chris King Mrs. Anabel Curry Mr. Peter Kennett Mr. John Reynolds Mrs. Cathie Brooks Mrs. Annette Thomas	1980 1980 1990 1994 1995 1996 1997 2003 2005
Editors of Journal / Magazine
Association of Teachers of Geology Circular
Mr. David Thompson	1967 - 75
Geology
Mr. Dennis Hart Dr. Douglas Bassett	1968 - 73 1973 - 75
Geology Teaching		Assistant / Deputy / Co-Editor
Dr. Chris Wilson Mr. David Thompson Dr. Joan Evelyn Brown	1975 - 79 1979 - 86 1986 - 88	Mr. David Thompson Dr. Geoff Brown Mr. Andrew Mathieson Dr. Robert Standley Dr. Ann Dawson Mrs. Christine Whittingham	1976 - 79 1977 - 83 1979 - 81 1981 - 84 1984 - 86 1986 - 88
Teaching Earth Sciences		Assistant / Deputy / Co-Editor
Dr. Joan Evelyn Brown Dr. Dee Edwards Dr. Denis Bates Dr. Roger Trend Dr. Cally Oldershaw Mr. Adrian Pickles Elaine Tilson MIck de Pomerai	1988 - 89 1989 - 92 1992 - 00 2000 - 03 2003 - 2006 2006 - 2007 2007 - 2007 -	Dr. Dee Edwards Dr. Denis Bates Dr. Antony Wyatt Dr. Keith Moseley	1988 - 89 1991 - 92 1992 - 97 1997 - 98

Webmaster

Mr David Whiteley
Mr Peter Williams

- 2006
2006 -

Conference Venues

1967

1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977

1978
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1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987

1988
1989
1990
1991
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1998
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2006
2007

University of Keele

University of Keele
University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
University of Bristol
University of Bristol
University of Nottingham
Crewe and Alsager College of HE
University College Swansea
University of Leeds
Crewe and Alsager College of HE (10th Anniversary)

Derby Lonsdale College of HE
University of Sheffield (Joint meeting of Geological Societies of GB)
University of Keele
City of Liverpool College of HE
College of St. Paul and St. Mary, Cheltenham
University of Reading
University of Leicester
St. David's University College, Lampeter
University of Bath
University of Hull (20th Anniversary)

College of St. Paul and St. Mary, Cheltenham
University of Manchester
Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, University of London
University of Liverpool
University College, Cardiff
University of Leeds
University of Birmingham
University College, Aberystwyth
University of Leicester
University of Keele (30th Anniversary)

College of St. Paul and St. Mary, Cheltenham
University of Durham
University of Wales, Swansea
University of Kingston
British Geological Survey, Keyworth
University of Manchester & Manchester Museum
Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh
University of Derby
University of Bristol
Belfast University, Stranmillis College