GEOGRAPHY
"Geography is the tapestry that weaves the world together" - G. Grosvenor
INTENT
At Prince Albert Primary School we want to inspire and equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people and resources together with a deep understanding of the relationship between Earth’s key physical and human processes and the impact they have on each other. We intend for pupils to understand how they affect the Earth, the impact that they can have and changes that occur as a result. We want our pupils to become responsible citizens who care for and look after the world in which they live.
We will equip pupils with the geographical skills to study places, people and natural and human environments and to make comparisons.
Through our teaching, we intend to provoke thought and curiosity and to encourage pupils to discover answers to their own questions through map work, fieldwork and research. We want our pupils to be able to talk about a range of diverse geographers so that they are inspired to pursue their own future studies in this field. Our intention is for pupils at Prince Albert School to see themselves as geographers now and in the future.
IMPLEMENTATION LONG TERM OVERVIEW
At Prince Albert School, we provide pupils with a progressive geography curriculum that is taught across the first half of each term throughout the year. We follow the national curriculum themes of:
- Place knowledge
- Locational knowledge
- Human and physical geography
- Map skills and field work
We specifically chose these to ensure that pupils understand the links between themselves and the world in which we live. They are closely linked to the key threads in the history curriculum – chronology, evolution and impact. Our humanities curriculum has been carefully planned to ensure they are linked so pupils can apply their knowledge across both history and geography.
Our geography curriculum is planned to ensure that the key knowledge and skills of each unit of work are covered and careful consideration has been given to ensure progression across the units throughout each year group across school.
Our curriculum begins in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) where our children are given opportunities to discover and learn about the world they live in. The geography element of the children’s work is related to the knowledge and understanding of the world objectives set out in the EYFS curriculum. Children’s learning is closely linked to the texts they read, and also the local area, so they can understand their place in the environment they live in.
In KS1 and KS2, pupils are actively encouraged to use retrieval skills to access prior knowledge which will support and inform them in their current and future learning. Consideration is given to how depth of knowledge and skills will be taught, learnt and demonstrated within each lesson, as well as how learners will be supported in line with the school’s commitment to inclusion. The countries and cities that pupils study have been chosen with consideration of the backgrounds of our pupils and to ensure a full range are explored.
Cross-curricular outcomes in geography are specifically planned for. Strong links between geography and other subjects such as design and technology, personal, social, health and economic education and literacy are identified, planned for and utilised.
A variety of quality resources are provided to enhance the pupil’s learning, including digital resources. Teachers receive training on the use of these resources, scaffolding and how to take learning out of the classroom. The local area is fully utilised to achieve the desired outcomes, with opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice.
IMPACT
Our curriculum enables opportunities for pupils to build upon concepts from one year to the next. Therefore, by the time pupils leave year 6, they will be equipped with a range of geographical skills that will provide a solid foundation for future learning. Pupil’s understanding is assessed regularly through the use of ‘key learning tasks’ which are given to pupils at several points during a unit of work. Teachers make a judgement against each key objective and this information is used as a basis for future retrieval and planning.
Through discussion and feedback, pupils talk enthusiastically about their geography lessons and show a genuine curiosity and interest in the areas they have explored. Pupils use acquired vocabulary to interpret and convey their understanding of the world. They can analyse and interpret information in order to question and reflect on the world and its inhabitants.
Pupils have a sound understanding of location and place. They have a secure knowledge of human and physical processes and understand how these effect environments. Pupils also have a strong understanding of climate change and the impact that they can have on the world they live in.