Geography

Our Values in Geography

As Geographers we want children to

Intent – Our 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.

Implementation – How do we deliver the geography curriculum?

Progression and structure through the geography curriculum is supported by a ‘threshold concepts’. The ‘threshold concepts’ are what pupils should understand and underpin the breadth of study.  These include:

• Investigating places
• Investigating patterns in geography
• Communicating geographically

The children return to each concept again and again through each area in the curriculum breadth.  This helps the children develop as geographers, and secures the concept development into long term memory and allows for progression. This increases their knowledge of the areas of geography over time.

Geography Curriculum Pathway

The following topics are covered:

Special Education Needs in Geography

How do we ensure all children can access geography lessons?

Effective quality first teaching is the key to enabling all children to participate and develop their geographical knowledge and skills. Differentiation within lessons is a vital component to ensure that a balance of support and challenge are achieved for all abilities. This is the same in every subject and differentiation is adjusted as expectations of individual pupils rise through progress. Challenge and support specific to geography may include; varying the types of sources used, first hand experiences, some pre-teaching as well as using more advanced vocabulary or providing picture clues and definitions for those needing more support.

Pupils not secure within a lesson sequence are noted and adjustments made to the differentiation or level of support given. (Similarly, added challenge is given if pupils are identified as requiring it.) Mini plenaries throughout lessons help to identify these children. This may be noted by the teacher through questioning or the use of written work.

Geography Knowledge Organisers – What will I need to learn in geography?

Links to other subjects

Where appropriate the teaching of our Geography is linked to other curriculum areas. Here are some of the ways we link Geography to other subjects:

Impact

Through the explicit teaching of the Geography skills, both the teachers and the pupils assess their learning continuously throughout the lesson. To help children get to a deep level of understanding we use quizzes and knowledge dumps that we return to again and again. The pupil knowledge organisers set out the basic knowledge that we want children to know at the end of each topic. Over time, children develop each of our ‘threshold concepts’. It takes a two-year period to get a deeper level of understanding at the appropriate age, this is linked to an age appropriate ‘milestone’.

Not only do we want children to acquire the appropriate age related knowledge linked to the Geography curriculum, but also to embrace a curiosity and fascination of the world that will stay with them through their lives. We understand how it has never been more important for pupils to have an extensive global understanding and respect for our world and the cultures and people that inhabit it.