Geography
Vision:
At Grateley Primary School, we aspire to deliver a Geography curriculum that inspires curiosity and fascination amongst pupils, creating passionate Geographers who have a keen interest in both their immediate locality and the wider world around them. Geography at Grateley strives to provide an interesting and exciting way for pupils to develop inquisitive thinking around the world and its people, which will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
We believe it is important to provide our pupils with the opportunities to use a range of investigative and problem-solving skills, both in and outside the classroom, to develop a deep understanding of geography. The geography field work undertaken in each year group in KS2 allows pupils to develop these skills as well as grasping new opportunities and encountering new experiences.
Pupils are equipped with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. Carefully planned progression allows pupils to build on their geographical skills and knowledge year on year with their growing knowledge about the world helping to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geography knowledge, understanding and skills provide the framework and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
With the ever changing world around us, we understand how it has never been more important for pupils to have a comprehensive global understanding of our world and the people and cultures that inhabit it. Through this understanding, pupils will develop respect for the physical world, taking responsibility for their actions and will appreciate their role in ensuring a sustainable future.
High-quality Geography teaching provides children with the knowledge to understand the world around them, the skills to navigate their way through life and the self-belief that they can make a difference, contributing positively to our world. A key focus at Grateley through high quality inclusive practise is introducing and explicitly teaching appropriate vocabulary.
‘Geography explains the past, illuminates the present and prepares us for the future. What could be more important than that?’ Michael Palin, 2007.Intent:
The Geography curriculum meets the Statutory Guidance from Year 1-6.
The Geography curriculum is planned with the Essential Knowledge of ‘Place’ because we want our children to develop their knowledge and understanding of their place in the world and the place of other people and locations.
At Grateley we teach the essential knowledge through the lens of Islands because we want the children to understand that we live on an island and there are islands across the World. We want the children to compare and contrast places in the World and make connections from their previous learning.
The teaching of place starts in Year R with the children learning about their immediate place in the community which extends in Year 1and Year 2 when the children learn about about New Zealand in Year 1/2 and Iceland in Year 3/4.
The Grateley values are taught through the opportunity to learn about different places and cultures and therefore creates respect for places different to the children’s local community.
Implementation:
Early Years:
Geography is taught through Discovery Time. Geography is delivered through the Grateley EYFS Aspirations, the children’s interests and changes we are aware of in the local environment and the immediate community. The outside area is used daily and is seen as a fantastic resource to deliver much of the Geography curriculum. A key area focussed on during the Early Years is the development of vocabulary. It is a focus in Aspiration 7 through being curious and asking questions…. I wonder what/if… about people, places and the natural world around them.
Key Stage One and Two:
The Geography curriculum is taught through cross-curricular links and will be based around a rick text. The children are able to demonstrate the knowledge they have learnt in other areas.
Pupils are equipped with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. Carefully chosen essential knowledge allow pupils to build on their geographical skills and knowledge year on year with their growing knowledge about the world helping to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geography knowledge, understanding and skills provide the framework and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.Impact:
By the end of Year 6 we know that the children will have an understanding of the interaction between physical and human aspects of the world and an awareness of topical geographical issues. We want the children at Grateley Primary School to be equipped with the knowledge, skills and concepts.
With the ever changing world around us, we understand how it has never been more important for pupils to have a comprehensive global understanding of our world and the people and cultures that inhabit it. Through this understanding, pupils will develop respect for the physical world, taking responsibility for their actions and will appreciate their role in ensuring a sustainable future.
High-quality Geography teaching provides children with the knowledge to understand the world around them, the skills to navigate their way through life and the self-belief that they can make a difference, contributing positively to our world.Please see the attached Geography progression overviews.