Our School Offer for Geography

Within the Purpose of Study for Geography (National Curriculum 2014), we know that ‘A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives…’

What do we mean by Geography?
In Key Stage 2, we focus on the key aims of the National Curriculum:
• develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places
• understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world
• develop competence in geographical skills needed to: (i) investigate (ii)analyse (iii)communicate

How do we teach Geography?
• Each child is taught specific year group coverage that extends their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features.
• We teach a gradual development of geographical skills & fieldwork; each child focuses on specific skills identified for the year group (see overview)
• We teach geographical knowledge and understanding to enhance their locational and place knowledge (see overview)
• Staff choose to teach Geography within two or three focused units and these occur within the year; we plan from KS2 Knowledge Mats to ensure that we focus on key vocabulary, knowledge & important information
• Outcomes are recorded within the Class Floor Book; we believe that this makes us more creative and allows us to focus on active learning
• Each classroom has a UK and World map to develop locational knowledge

How do we inspire a love of Geography?
We believe that geography inspires curiosity and fascination about the world and its people; this will remain with them for the rest of their lives. We believe that we can foster this through high-quality resources. Our Gallery has an identified area with non-fiction books. Staff enrich teaching with visits to local places that develop their awareness of living within the South West of England. The school has a school link with a school in a contrasting location to encourage contrast and comparison.

How do we help children who find geography difficult?
Within the classroom, staff are aware of individual needs and support skill and knowledge acquisition when required. We use a whole school record to pinpoint progress within geographical skills and adapt planning and tasks accordingly.

How do we assess Geography?
Each child is assessed against the key geographical skills; this may be though observation, approach to a planned task or outcome. Staff record whether a child is working below expectations, working at expectations or exceeding expectations.

How can Parents/Carers help?
We know that many Parents/Carers encourage curiosity and fascination about the world and its people through trips to local places of interest, trips further afield within the UK and on holiday across the world. Some look at year group coverage and supplement their child’s understanding by visiting the library, buying topic books or audio books. We thank everyone for this.