Geography

Intent

Here at Spring Gardens, we aim to inspire pupils to become curious and explorative
thinkers with a diverse knowledge of the world; in other words, to think like a
geographer. We want pupils to develop the confidence to question and observe places,
measure and record necessary data in various ways, and analyse and present their
findings. Through our curriculum, we aim to build an awareness of how Geography
shapes our lives at multiple scales and over time. We hope to encourage pupils to
become resourceful, active citizens who will have the skills to contribute to and
improve the world around them.

Our curriculum encourages:
• A strong focus on developing both geographical skills and knowledge
• Critical thinking, with the ability to ask perceptive questions and explain and analyse
evidence
• The development of fieldwork skills across each year group
• A deep interest and knowledge of pupils’ locality and how it differs from other areas
of the world
• A growing understanding of geographical concepts, terms and vocabulary
• A promotion of our school values of Resilience, Empathy, Self-awareness, Positivity,
Excellence, Communication and Teamwork

Geography is delivered as a discrete subject throughout Key Stages 1 and 2. Our
school’s curriculum is planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on
what has been taught before.

Implementation

Our Geography Curriculum has been created to show progression from Nursery to Year 6, with essential skills knowledge and skills revisited with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revise and build on their previous learning. We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework and the National Curriculum. The subject is explicitly taught in years 1 to 6, over three half terms throughout the year, and units are blocked to allow pupils to study each topic in depth.

The National curriculum organises the Geography attainment targets under four subheadings or strands:

• Locational knowledge
• Place knowledge
• Human and physical geography
• Geographical skills and fieldwork

Our Geography curriculum has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these four strands across each year group and ensures that attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage. Geographical key concepts are woven across all units rather than being taught discretely. Locational knowledge, in particular, is reviewed in each unit to coincide with our belief that this will consolidate children’s understanding of key concepts, such as scale and place.

Enquiry questions form the basis for our Key stage 1 and 2 units, meaning that pupils gain a solid understanding of geographical knowledge and skills by applying them to  answer enquiry questions. Questions have been designed to be open-ended with no preconceived answers and therefore they are genuinely purposeful and engage pupils in generating real change. In attempting to answer them, children learn how to collect, interpret and represent data using geographical methodologies and make informed
decisions by applying their geographical knowledge. Each unit contains elements of geographical skills and fieldwork to ensure that fieldwork skills are practised as often as possible. Our Geography units follow an enquiry cycle that maps out the fieldwork process of question, observe, measure, record, and present, to reflect the elements mentioned in the National curriculum. This ensures children will learn how to decide on an area of enquiry, plan to measure data using a range of methods, capture the data and
present it to a range of appropriate stakeholders in various formats. Fieldwork includes smaller opportunities on the school grounds to larger-scale visits to investigate physical and human features. Developing fieldwork skills within the school environment and revisiting them in multiple units enables pupils to consolidate their understanding of various methods. It also gives children the confidence to evaluate methodologies without always having to leave the school grounds and do so within the confines of a familiar place. This makes fieldwork regular and accessible while giving children a thorough understanding of their locality, providing a solid foundation when comparing it with other places. Lessons incorporate various teaching strategies from independent tasks to paired and group work, including practical hands-on, computer-based and collaborative tasks. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles. Teachers adapt their teaching to ensure that all pupils can access learning, and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are incorporated into lessons.

In order to support children in their ability to know more and remember more, there are regular opportunities to review the learning that has taken place in previous units as well as previous lessons. Assessment in Geography is ongoing throughout each unit, with staff using the school’s assessment system to record progress. This informs teachers and enables them to plan engaging and challenging lessons in subsequent terms or years.

Impact

Through quality first teaching and careful planning, coupled with fieldwork
opportunities where appropriate, our aim is for children to develop as geographers and be aware of the skills they need to become one. The impact of this geography curriculum design will lead to good progress over time across key stages, relative to a child’s individual starting point and their progression of knowledge and skills. Pupils will become enthusiastic Geography learners, evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil
voice, their work and displays across the school. Upon leaving Spring Gardens Primary School, children will be 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.