The Earth is what we all have in common.
Wendy Berry
Geography gives children a sense of their place in the world, an understanding of their locality and how other nations and cultures are shaped by where they live. It gives children chance to look at some of the world's biggest issues - equality, the environment and our interactions with the natural world.
Between Year One and Year Six, pupils study Geography every other half term, in tandem with History, for one afternoon lesson each week (either a 60-minute or 90-minute lesson, depending on the content). In EYFS, geography is introduced and taught within a topic-based approach.
Underpinning each unit of work is a core body of knowledge that is systematically taught, revised and revisited at distance to ensure that learning is committed to long-term memory. This knowledge empowers children: it gives them a sense of ‘being knowledgeable’, allows them to mediate social and cultural references, builds on their understanding of the world and provides valuable content for writing and reading across the curriculum. The curriculum is also bursting with opportunities for children to master processes and undertake activities relevant to their discipline. As geographers, children will constantly revisit these six key strands:
- creating and reading maps;
- developing place and locational knowledge;
- understanding key processes of physical geography (and how it affects people);
- understanding key features of human geography (and how it affects the environment);
- planning, undertaking and interpreting the results of fieldwork;
- learning about issues relating to the environment and sustainability.
Our curriculum model is influenced by the resources provided by our strategic partner, The Reach Foundation, ensuring that we meet or exceed the ambition of the National Curriculum for KS1 and KS2. We consult with Brigshaw High School to ensure smooth progression between KS2 and KS3. We use booklets and knowledge organisers in Geography to ensure that staff and pupils are clear about the knowledge and skills that are taught.
We begin each Geography unit with a diagnostic assessment to check children’s retention of key information. This helps us to reshape our initial planning. Formative assessment (quizzes and retrieval practice) gives children the opportunity to revisit knowledge from the earlier in the unit and aids retention. Summative assessment, in the form of short essays or essay plans, allows children to demonstrate multiple strands of learning from across the unit.
For more information about the Geography curriculum, please speak to Miss Baxter and Mr Asquith.
