Geography | sauncey-wood-primary

GEOGRAPHY
Intent

We aim to inspire pupils with a curiosity and interest 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.

Our Geography curriculum uses our local area of Batford and Harpenden allowing our children to learn more about the area around the school, our town, the UK and the wider world.  The curriculum encourages exploration of issues that affect the world today and into the future.

Through our Geography curriculum, children will gain a secure knowledge and understanding of Britain and that of the wider world through studying how humans have shaped the world and the physical forces and process acting on our planet. They will learn to make connections, to identify patterns, to embed key concepts and vocabulary as well as exploring some aspects in more depth.

Increase and develop their geographical skills, concepts, knowledge and attitudes.
Increase their understanding of location and place; to explore physical and human geography and develop their fieldwork and mapping skills.
Develop and use their skills in enquiry, data collection, analysis and evaluation.
Develop a sense of identity through learning about places and people around the world.

Implementation

In Reception, our children explore the world through Understanding of the world, exploring our local area and the wider world. Children in Year 1-6 learn Geography though a carefully planned curriculum with topics exploring diverse aspects of our planet and its people. Topics are chosen because they build cultural capital, prepare them for the world of the future, excite and enthuse them. We explore the richness of our local area too, including transport and rivers.

Units are taught over a half term with a weekly lesson.

Our use of recall grids ensures that children build on their prior learning, embed key ideas and vocabulary so that they learn more, know more and remember more.

Impact

Our children are learning and making progress in Geography when:

The curriculum is implemented effectively
Learning in their books is purposeful, varied, clear and of a high quality
They can demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts e.g. patterns in the way people migrate and settle or why a particular climate exists in one area.
They know and can use relevant vocabulary.
They are interested in the world across time and place.

Children are learning more Geography vocabulary linked to their topics Monitoring showed that the activities children completed in their books were varied from work on mapping to recording findings from surveys of their local area to diagrams of physical features such as volcanoes and rivers. Pupil voice meetings with children demonstrated how much they enjoy their learning in Geography.

Learning beyond the Classroom

Our Home Learning includes activities that invite children to use their Geographical skills including map work, exploring the local area of learning about the Wider World.