Geography

Geography

Vision: 

In Geography, a key goal is for our pupils to develop a sound knowledge of the local community, environment and wider world.  We want to ensure that learning is engaging, actively promoting an understanding of key geographical awareness through the exploration of skills and knowledge. Through a progressional theme-based humanities curriculum in Geography, we aim to develop the children’s knowledge of local, national and globally significant places and their understanding of key physical and human geographical features. We will encourage fascination about the world and its people, further embedding an understanding of diversity, inclusion and equity in the ever-changing world. Many sequences of work include inspirational geographers, to promote diversity, inclusion and equality, as well as aspiration in associated potential careers utilising geography in later life. Developing a sound understanding of the world we live in, helps to teach our pupils about the importance of environmental protection and the need to look after our world. 

We intend to inspire all children to excel in Geography, and tailor our teaching and learning to suit their needs. As well as following a key-stage appropriate progressional programme of study, we also plan many opportunities for cross-curricular learning including trips, visitors and residentials, maximizing the use of our surroundings and local area, with a focus on fieldwork wherever possible. To ensure the retention of key information in their long-term memory, pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for leading their own learning, build on key threads of prior knowledge and ask questions to apply key skills independently. Geography is a key component in our ‘My Place in the World’ Curriculum Driver, as well as an important element in our ‘Creativity’ and ‘Life Long Skills’ Drivers.  

We follow a 2-year rolling programme based on the National Curriculum. It is designed to build on prior knowledge, and provide a high-quality progression of skills and knowledge from EYFS to Year 6 allowing the children to successfully make connections within and between other areas of their learning. 

Aims in Geography: 

Early Years 

Pupils will: 

• Be introduced to and allowed to explore their local environment.  
• Ask questions about aspects of their familiar world, such as the place where they live or the natural world.  
• Talk about some of the things they observe such as plants, animals, and natural and found objects.  
• Use appropriate vocabulary about their environment such as a town, village, road, path, house etc.  

• Find out about their wider environment by examining photographs and maps and visiting local places.  
• Use texts as a way to learn about the world, climate, locations, environment and diversity of humans on our planet.

Key Stage 1:  

Pupils should be taught about locational and place knowledge, human and physical geography and geographical skills and fieldwork. 

Locational knowledge 

• Name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans  
• Name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas 

Place knowledge 

• Understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the United Kingdom, and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country 

Environmental, Human and physical geography 

• Identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles 
• Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key physical features including: beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather and key human features including: city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour and shop 

Geographical skills and fieldwork 

• Use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage 
• Use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language to describe the location of features and routes on a map 

• use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key 
• Use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment. 

Key Stage 2:  

Pupils should be taught about locational and place knowledge, human and physical geography and geographical skills and fieldwork. 

Locational knowledge 

• Locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities 
• Name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time 
• Identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night) 

Place knowledge 

• Understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country and a region within North or South America 

Environmental, human and physical geography 

• Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle  
• Describe and understand key aspects of human geography including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water 

Geographical skills and fieldwork 

• Use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied 
• Use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world 
• Use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies 

Assessment: 

Pupils will be assessed at the end of each unit of work on their geographical subject knowledge, skills and application, against National Curriculum age-related expectations highlighted in the planned unit key objectives. These objectives form a rolling programme with curricular goals and ensure that knowledge and skills are embedded by the end of each unit of work, and each key stage.  

There are a range of ways that teachers will form an assessment judgement in humanities. Please see the school Assessment and Feedback policies as well as the assessment methods below. 

Each lesson will have an intended learning objective and teachers will make assessments of pupils to ascertain whether pupils have met, not met or partially met the objectives. These judgements will be made against a range of evidence including – written/printed evidence, teacher/pupil discussions, conferencing and self or peer reflections. Teachers plan next steps using this formative assessment, to ensure pupils are retaining key knowledge. 

End-of-unit assessment projects or tasks can be used to assess the acquisition of skills and knowledge against the curricular goals for the unit of work. There will be opportunities for children to demonstrate new learning and learning over time.  

Leaders will be responsible for monitoring the planned curriculum on a regular basis and will support the development of art teaching and learning.  

This is what our children say about Geography in our school...

'I like using maps and atlases to find places in the world. It helps me to put a picture of the places I learn about in my head.' Year 3

'It is important to know how humans can change the world so that we can learn how to look after our planet.' Year 5

'I like learning about farming because we live in a place where there are lots of farms.' Year 1

'My favourite thing about Geography is learning about places that are the same and different as where we live. it makes me want to go to visit these places.' Year 4

'Last term we did lots of fieldwork, which I really enjoyed. We were learning about map work and created maps with a key about our school grounds.' Year 6