Geography
Subject Lead: Ms Khan
“Geography nurtures curiosity and wonder about the world.”
– Alaric Maude, 2010
Intent
At Cheetwood Primary School, we strive to provide pupils with a high-quality Geography education which inspires a curiosity and fascination about our 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 interactions between physical and human processes, 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 are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
Geography is taught in half-termly blocks throughout the year alternating with History, so that children achieve depth in their learning. Children are taught Geography in Key Stages: KS1, LKS2 and UKS2.
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.
We aim to equip them with the progressive skills, knowledge and understanding that allow them to question their place in the world and should inspire them to be curious about how the world works.
Implementation
We will aim to:
We effectively develop and invest in our teaching staff to ensure that they are fully equipped with expert subject knowledge in order to support the delivery of the Geography curriculum. Teachers present the curriculum content clearly through composites and component parts supported by unit sessions, which break the unit knowledge, concepts and skills down for each lesson in each year group.
The curriculum is delivered through a subject specific approach which supports pupils to develop the key concepts and knowledge of the Geography curriculum. Each lesson within a unit of work builds upon what has been previously taught from one year to the next.
Audits of the Geography curriculum take place. Following the findings from these audits, the Geography curriculum is adapted to build upon the learning opportunities and assessment end points for each year group and ensures progression and repetition in terms of embedding key learning, knowledge and skills. The way Geography is taught follows a specific and consistent structure.
Pupils’ curiosity is inspired through the igniting of prior learning and the manner in which geographical content is delivered. Pupils engage in the knowledge, skills and experiences involved in a unit and deepen their understanding to record their opinions, analyse and to review and revisit ideas. This process is replicated for each geography unit.
Geography subject specific characteristics, which we expect the pupils to demonstrate, have been developed and shared with all stakeholders. These characteristics underpin all work in Geography and form a focal point for display areas and provide a common subject specific vocabulary for staff and pupils. These characteristics are:
- Be inspired, curious and fascinated about the world and its people
- Develop knowledge about the world to help them deepen their understanding of the interaction between the physical and human processes and the formation of landscapes and environments
- Develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places both terrestrial and marine
- Understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world and how these are interdependent
- Collect, analyse and communicate with a arrange of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork
- Interpret a range of maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and (GIS) systems
- Communicate geographical information in a variety of ways maps, numerical skills and writing at length
The teaching of the Geography curriculum is planned and delivered to support pupils to transfer key knowledge into their long-term memory and therefore improve the progress they make. Essential vocabulary is identified within each lesson and unit of work to ensure that our pupils can discuss and evaluate the Geography content effectively.
Impact
Assessment informs learning to ensure that all pupils including disadvantaged and those with SEND achieve highly and acquire the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. Teachers use assessment information to inform their planning and address misconceptions. This helps us provide the best possible support for all of our pupils.
Our well-constructed curriculum in Geography leads to pupils’ successful learning. This is evidenced in the outcomes within books and display work produced. Pupils are well prepared for the next steps and stages of their learning due to the progressive and well-sequenced curriculum. As a result, pupils make good progress; they know more and remember more as they move through the Geography curriculum at Cheetwood. The impact of Geography teaching will be measures in the following ways:
Early Years Foundation Stage
Geography is included in one of the seven areas of learning known as Maths and Understanding the World.
Geographical learning occurs through:
- Access to a range of developmentally appropriate practical activities based on first-hand exploratory experiences – for example, a nature walk, magnifiers to explore natural objects, manipulating wet/dry sand etc.
- Enthusiastic and meaningful interactions with adults, who provide opportunities to develop communication skills, use correct geographical language and carefully framed open-ended questioning techniques to develop thinking skills
- Exploration of both indoor and outdoor environments, linking all areas of learning through continuous provision activities
- Recognition and extension of their existing knowledge and understanding gained from their home setting
Years 1-6
Geography is taught every other half term in rotation with History. During the Geography cycle, it is taught weekly in a one hour lesson. The Geography curriculum is underpinned by the National Curriculum and then further designed to fit our context and our children’s lived experiences.
This is to ensure children have a base start in their learning journey as geographers. Displays in classrooms and corridors are specific to the units covered and used in lessons to highlight key vocabulary and knowledge.
Learning is planned and taught in units with a clear progression of knowledge and skills across lessons throughout year groups. Learning is adapted to best suit each individual learner so that they are able to make their personal best progress with their learning. A range of strategies to introduce, explore, and fully understand the geographical learning are implemented. Extra supervision and encouragement are provided to those children who need it during lessons to enhance their engagement within the subject, allowing them to show their understanding of the objective. Children are given the opportunity to develop their curiosity, complete relevant experiments and investigations that engage them with their learning and further their understanding. They are given opportunities to focus on particular working Geography objectives and develop their skills in these areas. Any SEND requirements are planned to their needs and support is given so they have the same opportunities to encourage independent learning and show their understanding.
