Geography intent statement:

At St Helena’s C of E primary school, our Geography curriculum hopes to inspire all pupils to be curious and explorative thinkers with a diverse knowledge of the world. We nurture all children to show respect, endurance and be inspired by the awe and wonder that our natural and human world presents. Showing compassion, we encourage pupils to become resourceful, thankful, active citizens who will have the skills to contribute to and improve the world and community around them. Geography illuminates our planet, revealing connections through migration, trade, and resources. It highlights both the positive and negative impacts of human activity, along with their potential consequences. We aim to develop children’s wisdom and knowledge of the places and people across the world, allowing children to have a recall of their growing understanding of geographical concepts, terms and vocabulary and encourage them to explore and ask questions.

Geography Implementation

Our Geography curriculum is built around the importance of Geographical knowledge being shaped by disciplinary approaches. The strands of Locational knowledge, place knowledge, human and physical geography, geographical skills and fieldwork are interwoven through all of our units of work to create an enriched and authentic learning experience. This allows our children to investigate Geography and most importantly be Geographers themselves. Geographical key concepts are woven across all units rather than being taught discretely ensuring essential knowledge and skills are revisited with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revise and build on their previous learning. Ensures a progression of fieldwork skills across each year group makes fieldwork regular and accessible while giving children a thorough understanding of their locality, providing a solid foundation when comparing it with other places.

• Geography units begin with a pre-assessment of current knowledge and skills to build a learning sequence from.
• Lesson design ensures that all key ‘need to know’ substantive knowledge points are taught alongside the disciplinary skill concepts to develop a well-rounded Geographer.
• Teachers ensure adaptations are made to ensure lessons are inclusive for all.
• Our 2-year spiral curriculum for Geography is underpinned by progression of skills, knowledge and vocabulary.
• The strands of Locational knowledge, place knowledge, human and physical geography, geographical skills and fieldwork are built upon through the years and between year groups to connect prior, current and future learning.
• Key areas of learning are revisited regularly, and links are made within and between units.
• All learners are supported through appropriate support and stretch challenges based on assessment for learning, to ensure the needs of all learners are met.
• Enrichment opportunities (visits/visitors) are used to help support the learning where it enhances the learning.
• Classroom working walls reflect the learning journey of the class, highlighting key knowledge, skill development and specific vocabulary. Working walls may also identify links between knowledge previously learnt to help make connections between key themes.
• At the end of a unit, pre-assessments are revisited for children to reflect upon and showcase their new learning.
• Learning flashbacks throughout the rest of the year will allow children to revisit their learning, ensuring it remains in the long-term memory ready for further connections to be made.

Geography impact:

As a year 6 geographer, transitioning to secondary school, we aspire that pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills and knowledge to enable them to study Geography with confidence at Key stage 3. We hope to shape children into curious and inspired geographers with respect and appreciation for the world around them alongside an understanding of the interconnection between the human and the physical.