Geography
What does the National Curriculum say about Geography?
The national curriculum for England describes the purpose of geography as:
A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the 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 the interaction between physical and human processes, and of 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 at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
How do we teach Geography in School?
Teachers are guided by their knowledge of children’s needs and interest when selecting appropriate subject content. This is developed into challenging and relevant topics using their professional skills. Geography is taught both as a stand alone subject and through other subject areas, such as maths and English. We always strive to provide stimulating experiences, ensuring that field trips are part of the geography curriculum wherever possible. We aim to secure a balanced geography curriculum so that teaching and learning includes both core knowledge (facts, vocabulary, places and names) and a sense of place (emotions, values and opinions).
What skills are covered during lessons?
We aim to engage our pupils through carefully planned topics that are creative and well-integrated into the wider curriculum. Children will be taught to gather, use and communicate data, especially through fieldwork. They will learn how to interpret maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information from programmes such as Google earth and Digi Maps. They will learn how to communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numeracy skills, reasoning and writing.
How is progression achieved?
We have a long term plan that details the progression expected across the year groups. This enables pupils to develop geographical thinking and skills in a structured way. Children will move from learning about their own area to the UK and the world beyond. They will learn to compare areas on their physical, social and economic geography. As their geographical skills increase they will be asked to interpret data and draw conclusions.