Geography
Values
Geography is valued for its ability to inspire curiosity and a fascination about the world, the people, places, and environments, and the interactions between them. Geography also aids in understanding how and why places are changing, and how to imagine, predict, and work towards likely and preferred futures.
It is an enquiry led subject that seeks answers to fundamental questions such as where a place is, what it is like, how it changes, and how places compare and connect.
Aims
It helps children understand the environment, natural resources, and how human activities impact the planet.
Geography provides students with an opportunity to think critically about the world around them. It helps them to understand how humans interact with the environment and the impact of their actions. Through studying maps, graphs, and data, students learn how to analyze information, interpret data, and draw conclusions. This ability to think critically is a valuable life skill that will serve students well beyond their academic years.
Intent
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.
Implementation
Our geography curriculum is intended to be ambitious and designed to give all pupils, regardless of background, the equal opportunity to gain the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life and in future education. Our geography topics are based on the fundamentals outlined within the National Curriculum (2014) and are designed to ensure the progressive development of geographical concepts, knowledge and skills. Furthermore, we strive to promote an appetite and fascination about their planet that will carry them through future studies and provide all children with the skills and knowledge to understand and engage with both the human and physical aspects of life on Earth. The geography curriculum through the school is designed to build every year on children’s previous learning with each topic linking to and reinforcing understanding of our planet, its people and its environment. We also want children to have a deeper understanding of nature and interesting locations around them and to show responsibility for their immediate and wider environment and the natural world around them.
In Early years the intent for Geography is : We aim to draw upon children’s natural curiosity about the world around them locally and beyond. By capitalising on the wealth of cultures we aim for children to have a good understanding of ‘community’ that gives them a sense of identity and belonging
Impact
Children are able to recall key knowledge for current and previous Geography learning and they understand how prior learning is built upon when approaching new geography learning. Children talk positively about Geography learning and experiences through which they develop skills and knowledge in Geography. Children understand the importance of Geography learning and can share local Geography knowledge. Children can confidently use a range of sources to develop their geographical skills and knowledge. Regular assessment recorded on foundation assessment sheets allows gaps to be addressed swiftly and additional challenge provided for identified children. Data and outcomes across the school feed into Action Planning. All pupils make good progress from their individual starting points
Cultural capital
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Through careful sequencing of subjects, children can explore places of the world at different times and scales, affording students the opportunity to appreciate and understand a sense of place that helps them to begin to understand their own position within the world.
We ensure that enrichment opportunities are in place which enable learning to be applied in real life situations
Pledges
