Geography

Purpose of study

A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

Aims

The national curriculum for geography aims to ensure that all pupils: 

develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes

understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time
are competent in the geographical skills needed to: 

• collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their
understanding of geographical processes

• interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and
Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

• communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and
writing at length.

Intent (What we want to do)

The National Curriculum for Geography states that ‘a high-quality Geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives’. Our curriculum design hopes to equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the earth’s key physical and human processes. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

The National Curriculum Aims are:

To develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places, including their defining physical and human characteristics
To understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world
To be competent in the geographical skills needed to collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork.
To be able to interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems
To communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.

We encourage our children to be inquisitive and question the information they are presented with, in order to further their geographical understanding. Geography is an exciting, enquiry led subject that helps the children to better understand people, places and environments in the world.

We will give children the opportunity to explore and understand their local area and use this knowledge to compare their life in this area with that of others around the world. We strive for children to use a range of tools to understand their location and the landscapes of contrasting environments. Children have the opportunity to apply and embed these skills when conducting fieldwork in their local area. We ensure all children have access to the Geography curriculum through quality-first, inclusive teaching and, minimise and where possible remove, any barriers to pupils participating in all Geography learning.

Summary

A progressive curriculum rooted in the National Curriculum.
An enquiry-based approach to learning is planned for and delivered.

Implementation (How we will do it)

In EYFS, children begin to develop an understanding of the world. They are given opportunities to explore natural materials and respond to natural phenomena. They are able to learn about and explore the place where they live and different locations within their local environment. Through stories, children are able to learn about different countries and how environments are different around the world.

FS1 (Cycle A) – Their Local Area, France, Kenya, Australia.
FS1 (Cycle B) – Their Local Area, Italy, China, Greenland / Egypt
FS2 – Their Local Area, India

In Key Stage One children will develop an awareness of the human and physical features of their local environment and gain skills needed to compare and contrast a non-European location. Pupils will develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They should understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.

Year One – The UK, its countries, capital cities and surrounding seas.
Year Two – A Local study (Wath-Upon- Dearne) and a study of a contrasting non-European location (Tulum, Mexico)

In Key Stage Two pupils should extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features.

They should develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge.

Year Three – Significant cities of the UK. A region of a European County. A region of South America.
Year Four – Significant counties of the UK. A in-depth study of Yorkshire, comparing the rural Peak district to the city of Sheffield.
Year Five – Significant rivers of the UK. A region of North America
Year Six – A study of India; comparing Mumbai to London

Underpinning our geography curriculum is substantive knowledge. Substantive knowledge are the key facts about places and locations that children must learn, for example, names of places and landmarks. This geographical knowledge is taught through exploring disciplinary concepts, which are key geographical concepts. Geography lessons are explicitly linked to exploring these concepts. There are four key geographical concepts which are place knowledge, location knowledge, human and physical features geographical skills and fieldwork. We take an enquiry-based approach to every lesson, which all start with an enquiry question. To answer the questions, children have to use geographical skills.

Children are also exposed to geographical language which is revisited regularly during retrieval practice to ensure that children retain an understanding of key geographical terms. Each geographical area of study has vocabulary which the children will be introduced to and taught the meaning of. Children have opportunities to explore the vocabulary and further understand its meaning in context. Each Geography lesson begins with retrieval practice delivered through vocabulary. Children will be asked about vocabulary from previous years learning and their current topic. They will be asked to explain the vocabulary and a series of discussions will take place leading on from the specific vocabulary

Quality first teaching in geography includes reasonable adjustments, scaffolds and adaptations to ensure all children can access learning and included opportunities to express their learning in a variety of ways.

Summary

Clear content sequencing, progression maps and planned opportunities for retrieval are used in Geography to set out the knowledge to be taught and remembered.
Carefully structured and engaging lessons planned within a logical and progressive sequence which are used to promote greater learning.
Knowledge is built during each topic with planned opportunities to develop disciplinary, substantive and procedural knowledge, further enhanced through visits and opportunities to engage with the wider community and outside agencies.
Regular opportunities for the children to retrieve prior knowledge from their year group or previous year groups, whilst also making connections and thinking more deeply.
Ongoing formative assessment to inform teaching leading to summative judgments at key points throughout the year as well as key points throughout key stages.

Impact (What impact will it have?)

Our geography curriculum ensures pupils gain knowledge and understanding of the local area, Great Britain and the wider world through stimulating an interest in understanding the lives of people and helping children cultivate their sense of identity. We are confident that our Geography lessons deliver the knowledge to enable children to function as well-informed individuals who can engage with different aspects of society and in the modern world. Our children are equipped to thrive in the next stage of their geography education at secondary school and beyond. Children have the opportunity to show that they know and understand the vocabulary they have been taught when they engage in Pupil Voice and when they produce a piece of Geographical writing within their unit of work Pupils with SEND make progress in Geography. When expected progress is not made, plans are put in place to address this and allow for accelerated progress through additional provision in class, external agency support and family discussions.

Pupils’ learning over time, reflects the intended curriculum. We ensure the pupils know more and can do more throughout Geography building year on year.

Summary

The climate for learning which can be seen around school.
Children can confidently articulate their learning.
Through pupil voice and understanding the impact the curriculum has had on learners.
Knowledge gain evidenced in books during a topic.
Formative and Summative assessments are made regularly.
Assessments made using school progression maps.
The children learn in line with or above national expectations.