Geography
At William Reynolds Primary School, we recognise the importance of Geography to enable pupils to understand the relationships between places, the human and physical processes that shape them, and the people who live in them.
Our principle aims- following the National Curriculum in England- for Geography are for pupils to:
- 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
- be 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 are committed to encouraging children to enjoy asking and answering questions about the world around them, as well as making full use of relevant resources to support their learning.
The core of our geography curriculum is the National Curriculum for England which is supported by the Kapow Geography. The Ofsted research review for Geography (June 2021), explained that in a well-structured curriculum, the prior content that pupils have remembered allows them to understand the conditions, processes and interactions that explain geographical features, distribution patterns and changes over time and space. Kapow Primary’s Geography scheme of work aims to inspire pupils to become curious and explorative thinkers with a diverse knowledge of the world; in other words, to think like a
geographer. We want pupils to develop the confidence to question and observe places, measure and record necessary data in various ways, and analyse and present their findings.
The National curriculum organises the Geography attainment targets under four subheadings or strands:
• Locational knowledge
• Place knowledge
• Human and physical geography
• Geographical skills and fieldwork
Kapow Primary’s Geography scheme has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these four strands across each year group.
Every year group has a yearly Curriculum Map that outlines the key areas of geography which will be taught throughout the year. This ensures that adequate amount of time and coverage is allocated to each key area.
To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in geography, detailed Medium Term planning supports teachers to plan a sequence of progressive weekly lessons and over time, giving the children time to master new concepts. This planning includes assessment for learning opportunities, the learning objective for each lesson, linked success criteria and differentiated tasks to meet the objective.
In Key stage 1, we have sequenced the learning to specifically develop pupils’ conceptual understanding of scale and place by first learning about their everyday surroundings, then by looking at a national level and finally by studying global contexts which are likely to be new to them.
The National curriculum states that pupils should 'develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge’, and so our units across Key stage 2 are sequenced to allow pupils to build on their understanding of geographical concepts, themes, such as settlement, trade, climate change and natural resources, and fieldwork skills. As guided by the National curriculum, we have also structured our units to reflect a regional approach, for example, the Amazonian region, a volcanic region in Southern Italy, the Alps, the Great Barrier Reef and a desert region. Case studies have been chosen not only to reflect the National curriculum guidance but also to ensure children have experience learning about a location in each continent by the end of primary school.
We provide a variety of opportunities for geography learning inside and outside the classroom. Educational visits are another opportunity for the teachers to plan for additional geography learning outside the classroom. Through fieldwork, our pupils explore the local environment, to encounter geographical concepts first hand and connect their learning, in classrooms, with the complexity of the real world.
Within the lesson, teachers check pupils understanding effectively, addressing any misconceptions swiftly and conversations surrounding their viewpoints take place. The curriculum is designed and delivered in a way that allows pupils to know more, find out information and remember more.
As school, we subscribe to the Shropshire Library Service which provides us with a range of quality texts linked to the geographical area of learning. Pupils read for meaning throughout lessons when carrying out research to retrieve information from geographical sources.
Pupils develop geographical skills including both constructing and interpreting hard-copy and digital maps and plans. The curriculum ensures that pupils have the knowledge they need, such as knowledge of direction and scale, to draw and analyse maps.
The impact of our curriculum is that:
- Pupils have a secure geographical knowledge
- Pupils confidently ask and answer questions about locations, including their physical and human characteristics.
- Pupils apply previously taught learning of key concepts to current learning
- Pupil voice demonstrates that they enjoy geography and recall their learning over time.
- Pupils are aware of the damages being caused to the environment, as a result of climate change, and have a sense of responsibility for the care of the Earth and its people.
- Pupils are prepared for their next stage of education
- Planning and subject knowledge is supported by CPD for teachers.
Geography Progression document
