King’s Ely teacher writes his thirtieth book

A teacher at King’s Ely has written a new book all about the subject he loves.

‘Why Study Geography?’ is the thirtieth book that Alan Parkinson, Head of Geography at King’s Ely Junior, has written or co-written.

Alan said: “Considering studying Geography at University? Wondering whether a Geography degree will get you a good job, and what you might earn? Want to know what it’s actually like to study Geography at A Level or even degree level? My new book will tell you what you need to know, and why Geography is such an important subject, particularly at the moment.”

Alan, who lives in Norfolk and who has been teaching at King’s Ely for seven years, is Vice President of the Geographical Association and is scheduled to be President for 2021-22. Some of his other books include a series of children’s activity books called 'Mission:Explore', written with the Geography Collective, and many Key Stage 3, GCSE and A Level Geography textbooks.

Alan’s latest book was written during lockdown and the first draft took a couple of months to write, before he worked with editors, proof-readers and early reviewers to ensure that the manuscript was accurate and as up to date as possible.

Alan said: “Each book I write involves a lot of research and I learn from the process. It’s a real pleasure to see your name on a book on the shelves, particularly in bookshops. Most of my books have been written with other people, and even though my name is on this one, I’m grateful to the people who shared their stories with me and gave feedback on earlier versions. I hope this helps students and parents reach some important decisions.”

In 2019, Alan was also one of the first teachers in the UK to become a United Nations accredited ‘Climate Change Teacher’.

‘Why Study Geography?’ is out now, priced at £12.49 and is available to buy at most well-known book shops, as well as online. The book is also available for Kindle and eBook readers.