Geography

Intent

Geography is an essential part of the curriculum as it provides a means of exploring, appreciating and understanding the world in which we live and how it has evolved. Geography explores the relationship between the Earth and its people through the study of place, space and environment. It contributes to the cultural, social, spiritual and moral life of children as they acquire knowledge of a range of different cultures and traditions, and learn tolerance and understanding of other people and environments. Geography is the subject in which pupils learn the skills of understanding a locality and how and where people fit into its overall structure. Developing geographical skills is essential as children live in a world that is wide open to them. With opportunities to travel and work in different cities and countries across the world, pupils need to efficiently use maps, charts and other geographical data. The opportunities for the children to carry out geographical enquiry are also of value. 

The teaching of Geography would be difficult without acknowledging the future of our planet. The Geography Curriculum places great importance on the interaction between the physical and the human environment. Many areas of study give opportunities to make children aware of these effects upon their surroundings, their own responsibilities and how they can contribute to improving the environment, however small that contribution might be. 

Outside agencies, such as visiting experts, members of the community, visits to local environments that link with topics being studied should be used when appropriate. 

Fieldwork is integral to good geography teaching and many opportunities should be included where possible to involve children in practical geographical research and enquiry. All children should carry out an investigation into the local environment and be given opportunities to observe and record information around the school site and beyond.  

All children will have equal access to the Geography curriculum regardless of ability, gender or race and be encouraged to participate fully in it. 

Implementation

Our Geography Curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. 

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the Geography curriculum follows:  

• A two-year rolling programme that has been implemented to ensure coverage and progression in all knowledge relating to Geography. 

Early Years: Geography makes a significant contribution to the ELG objectives of developing a child’s understanding of the world through activities such as finding out about different places and habitats and investigating our locality. 

Key Stage 1: Knowledge is focused on their local area and a contrasting area in the United Kingdom and abroad, finding out about the environment in both areas and the people who live there. 

Key Stage 2: Knowledge is focused on the UK, Europe and the wider world where they will start to make links between different places in the world and how people affect the environment and how they are affected by it. 

The progression of knowledge is set out in order to build and develop the following:  

• Human and physical geography 
• Place knowledge 
• Locational knowledge 
• Local investigations 
• Geographical skills and field work 

Lessons will develop long term memory by allowing for repetition of learning within the year and year on year.   

Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary is taught within each topic and reinforced throughout the year.   

SMSC and British values are threaded through the Geography curriculum to link places and locations to their lives and explore their cultural capital.   

Impact

At Cosby Primary School, we have designed our Geography curriculum with the impact that our children will:  

• Be stimulated and interested in their own surroundings, the local area and the wider world. 
• Develop a sense of place and belonging. 
• Gain knowledge and understanding of places in the world. 
• Increase their knowledge of other cultures and, in so doing, gain a respect and understanding of what it means to be a positive citizen in a multi-cultural country. 
• Know and understand environmental problems at a local, regional and global level. 
• Make sense of their own surroundings through learning about their own locality and the interaction between people and the environment. 
• Be encouraged to commit to sustainable development and an appreciation of what ‘global citizenship’ means. 
• Work geographically in a range of appropriate contexts, using a variety of materials and equipment including other people’s experiences and knowledge. 
• Formulate appropriate questions, develop research skills and evaluate material to inform opinions. 
• Be able to apply map reading skills to globes and atlas maps and identify geographical features. 
• Develop the geographical skills, including how to use, draw and interpret maps of different scales, and the vocabulary necessary to carry out effective geographical enquiry. 
• Will retain prior-learning and explicitly make connections between what they have previously learned and what they are currently learning.   

Where applicable, children will have encountered or participated in high-quality visits/visitors to further appreciate the world that we live in.