Geography
Intent
At Crondall we believe that the study of geography enables pupils to make sense of the world and their place within it. By developing an understanding of the Earth’s physical features, they can begin to understand how and why human features have developed as they have. Our geography curriculum aims to allow the pupils to reflect on their immediate environment, natural and human, and their own relationship to it before expanding that to a range of environments around the world, learning about the interaction between human and physical processes. Geographical knowledge provides the opportunity to learn about diverse places, people, resources and features. Our geography curriculum aims to teach the children to be curious and to investigate, exploring ideas and building knowledge and skills. Where possible, we aim to make geography practical and provide opportunities for fieldwork in a range of forms.
By the end of EYFS...
Children should know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They should be able to talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one to another. They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about observable changes.
By the end of KS1…
Children will have developed their knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They should understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.
By the end of KS2…
Children will have extended their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They should develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge.
Implementation at our school
Through the framework of the 2014 National Curriculum, geography taught at Crondall Primary School, aims to ensure that all children:
- develop age-appropriate, accurate knowledge of the location, physical and human characteristics of a wide range of globally significant places including terrestrial and marine locations.
- to use this knowledge to provide a geographical context to study and understand the actions of important geographical processes.
- understand that these processes give rise to the key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about variation and change to the geographical landscape.
- to be able to use geographical vocabulary which is appropriate and accurate and which develops and evolves from EYFS to KS1 and through to KS2.
- collect, analyse and present a range of data, gathered through experiences of fieldwork, to deepen understanding of geographical processes.
- use and interpret a wide range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes and aerial photographs.
- are able to communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.
- to promote children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development helping them to have a greater understanding of their place in the world, and their rights and responsibilities to other people and the environment.
Residential trips in Year 4 and Year 6 both have environmental and geographical aspects to them. A variety of trips to different environments (woods, coasts etc.), the development of our outdoor education across the school and orienteering skills throughout Key Stage 2 have all enhanced the learning of our pupils. Geography is taught through a topic based approach enhanced by our local area.
Impact
Within geography, we strive to create a supportive and collaborative ethos for learning by providing investigative and enquiry based learning opportunities. This helps children to gain a coherent knowledge of understanding of each topic covered throughout the school, utilising the outdoor environment. Children will deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes and how this affects landscapes and environments.
I like learning about where different things come from in the world. (Yr 1 pupil)
I have found out some really cool things about different parts of the world. We have also done some orienteering in the school grounds on Woodland Wednesday. (Yr 4 pupil)
I enjoy Geography because it helps me learn about the environment. (Yr 5 pupil)
How to support my child?
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/category/discover/geography/
