Frequency of sessions: This will change depending on the topic being studied, but will largely average out as one session a week. On some topics, the main focus will be geography and, therefore, there will be a high focus on geographical skills. On other topics, there might not be a geographical focus. Geography is covered through the IPC schemes of work and, where appropriate, cross-curricular links are made within literacy, history, art, DT, music and science. Our aim is to deliver a high-quality geography education which stimulates pupils' thinking about the world and its people. Teaching equips pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with the Earth’s key physical and human processes. As our pupils progress, they will deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments.

Intent

Pupils will develop contextual knowledge of the location of places, seas and oceans, including their defining physical and human characteristics, understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world and learn how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time.

In addition to this, pupils will collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepens their understanding of geographical processes, interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps and writing at length.

Implementation

In Key Stage 1, focus includes:

Being able to name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas. 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.

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. Emphasis on basic geographical vocabulary is paramount. Basic use of 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 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.

In Key Stage 2, geography focusses include:

Locating the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities. Being able to 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.

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) should also be covered.

Describe and understand key aspects of: physical geography, including climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle. KS2 should be able to confidently use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied and use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world.

Impact

Through high-quality teaching and a progressive Geography curriculum, our pupils will not only meet the requirements of the National Curriculum but will also be ready for the next stage of their learning and prepare them to become competent geographers in secondary education. We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• A reflection on the standards achieved against the planned outcomes;
• Pupil discussion about their learning;
• Continuous summative assessment throughout discussions and activities

For further information about the national curriculum guidance for geography.

SEND / PP / Gifted and Talented -

Gifted and talented children are challenged in geography lessons through the use of focused questioning to develop thinking skills and reasoning.

SEND pupils are supported in geography lessons through the use of carefully selected resources, outcomes tailored around different learning styles and the teachers’ awareness of the children they are teaching.