Geography

The intent of our school's geography curriculum is:

• to inspire in the children a curiosity and enthusiasm about the world and to strengthen the process of critical thinking. 

• to look at our place in the world from a global dimension, to gain a better understanding of our society and environment and to have empathy for people in the world, which will enable our children  to  understand that they can contribute to improving our world. 

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 the 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 field work 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. 

The implementation of the geography curriculum

• Geography is planned for learning through a knowledge based curriculum acquiring key geographical skills. We ensure the curriculum aims are covered and explored in an innovative and creative way.

•  Each geography topic begins with a big question and through a range of activities once the topic is complete the children will be able to answer offering explanations, facts, opinions and predictions.

• Fundamental to our school's approach to teaching geography is providing experiences such as field trips for example:

  • Reception plan a trip to the post office discussing features they see on their journey, recognising familiar landmarks. 

  • KS1 go on an orienteering adventure to Broomwood woods following a map, noting physical and human features of our local landscape. 

  • KS2 undertake a field trip to the Peak district where they will:

    • To follow & identify features on a map

    • To observe, measure and record human & physical features of a river

    • Identify key physical aspects of a river

    • Observe and identify habitats and surrounding wildlife

The Impact of our Geography Curriculum

Our geography curriculum is high quality and is planned to demonstrate progression. We focus on progression of knowledge and skills; discreet vocabulary progression also forms part of the units of work. Children will deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes and how this affects landscapes and environments.

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• Assessing children’s understanding of topic linked vocabulary before and after the unit is taught.
• Summative assessment of pupil discussions about their learning.
• Images and videos of the children’s practical learning.
• Marking of written work in books.
• Extension bubbles with enquiry driven questions for the children to answer following a unit of work. These aim to provide challenging opportunities for children to apply their knowledge.
• Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice).
• At the end of each key stage, the children’s learning is assessed against the age-related expectation bands that are based on the 2014 National Curriculum statements for Geography.
• Annual reporting of standards across the curriculum.

Children’s knowledge and skills will develop progressively as they move through the school, not only to enable them to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum but to prepare them to become competent geographers in secondary education. We want the children to have thoroughly enjoyed learning about geography, therefore encouraging them to undertake new life experiences now and in the future. They will have developed the geographical knowledge and skills to help them explore, navigate and understand the world around them: how it works, how it fits together and how to make a difference and become positive contributors locally and globally: What could/should the world be like in the future? What can we do to influence change?