In a world threatened by climate change, geography should perhaps be at the heart of the school curriculum.

It can also be a way of introducing science to pupils who might shy away from chemistry, physics and biology.

Geography should also be perfect for the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). It is meant to emphasise flexibility, with useful skills taught using a variety of approaches, and geography, with its links to history and social studies as well as science, is an ideal fit.

However, the introduction of the new National exams as part of CfE appears to have led not to an uptake in geography but a dramatic reduction. According to a new poll, 87 per cent of teachers say there has been a large drop in take-up.

Part of the reason is that, under the previous system, Standard grades were studied over two years, but the new courses are taken over one, which leaves many schools with too few teaching hours to fit in more than six subjects.

Geography has become a victim of the squeeze, but such an important subject cannot be allowed to be sacrificed. In principle, CfE is a good development but not if it delivers the opposite of what it promises and narrows choice for pupils. Geography should have a firmer place in the curriculum.