Geography
Vision
And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
Through the teachings of Jesus, all can flourish spiritually, emotionally and academically throughout life, living out love and justice for all. Our Christian values of love, justice, compassion, wisdom, forgiveness and friendship underpin the life of the school community and impact on our daily lives. Guilden Sutton Church of England Primary School strives to provide the best possible education for our children. We aim for excellence within our happy, secure school where each individual’s achievements are valued and celebrated. By using a holistic approach, we will provide a curriculum that offers a diverse and challenging environment to inspire and motivate every child in our care.
Intent
Through inclusive, quality teaching of our geography curriculum, we aim to provide all children with the following:
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A good understanding of human and physical features and processes, and the interaction between them.
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The ability to interpret a range of geographical sources.
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A development of skills that allow then to interpret and communicate geographical information.
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Opportunities for fieldwork.
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Knowledge about diverse places, people and natural and human environments.
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A good locational understanding of globally significant places and their geographical characteristics.
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An awareness and appreciation of different cultures.
Implementation
In EYFS, children learn about the immediate world and environments around them through child led topics and investigations that capture their interests and are encouraged to investigate their environment and share personal experiences of the places they have visited. Pupils in KS1 develop their knowledge about the world, the UK and their locality. They learn the world’s continents and oceans as well as geographical information about the four countries of the UK. They develop their understanding of the similarities and differences of the UK and other places in the world including the location of hot and cold countries. Children also develop their geographical vocabulary and understanding of UK seasonal weather patterns. Throughout KS2 extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area as geography topics allow them to develop their knowledge about the location and characteristics of the world’s countries as well as more focused studies of counties, cities and regions of the UK. Field work opportunities are continued alongside the development of their skills such as map work, locational knowledge and using compasses, symbols and grid references when interpreting sources. Children also develop a deeper understanding of physical and human geography and compare and contrast these in relation to location and changes in time. ‘Can I’ statements are used to evaluate children’s learning and understanding and are also used as a self-evaluation tool by pupils. Teachers’ marking and verbal feedback is used to focus children’s thinking, give them next steps and address misconceptions which provides continuous assessment.
All children receive the same curriculum offer. Our ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum is adapted to ensure learning for all our children is never narrowed. Geography resources and additional support are available and utilised where appropriate to further enhance first quality teaching.
Impact
Our geography curriculum enables children to be able to:
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Gain an excellent knowledge of where places are and what they are like.
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Understand and use an extensive range of geographical vocabulary.
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Be able to make geographical enquiries and apply their questioning skills to develop their learning.
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Independently engage in fieldwork, using maps, compasses and geographical skills to make observations about the world around them.
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Use and interpret a wide range of geographical sources such as maps, atlases and aerial photographs.
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Express well balanced opinions, rooted in good knowledge and understanding of issues in society and the environment.
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Show appreciation and respect for other cultures around the world.
Here at Guilden Sutton Church of England Primary School, our children are confident geographers and understand the purpose of geography and how it can prepare them for the wider world. The vast majority of pupils reach end of year expectations.
