Geography

Robert Piggott Subject Overview: Geography

Curriculum Intent:

To develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes.

To understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time.

To ensure children are competent in the geographical skills needed to:

• collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes

• interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

• communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length

Implementation:

Our pedological approach to teaching this subject in the Robert Piggott CE Schools:

By linking geography to our topics, we aim for children to develop a genuine interest in the world around them and for them to develop an enquiring mind.

Children are encouraged to ask questions and to use a range of different sources to find answers to their questions. They are encouraged to develop their geographical skills and understanding through classroom enquiry and fieldwork. The local area and outside environment are used whenever possible to provide real-life learning experiences and to enable fieldwork skills to be developed.

In EYFS our locality influences topics where we can also compare to other parts of the world e.g.:

• Water - where we look at the River Thames and learn about rivers in other locations in the world, how communities use water. Use of maps, globes and atlases.
• On the Farm – looking at agricultural and where different types of food are grown.
• In the Cold – Comparing climates and seasons in different parts of the world.

In Key Stage One we begin by looking at the school and local area and then move towards learning about the United Kingdom.

In Key Stage Two we learn about Europe, and we also learn about different types of settlements and why people settled where they did.

Comparisons are made between the UK and both a European country and a non-European country. Map work is a key feature of our learning throughout Key Stage Two and includes us identifying where different environmental regions are located and why.

Human and physical features of locations are studied across all Key Stages, and we aim to develop geographical language throughout the topics we study.

Impact

Our Geography curriculum is specifically tailored to ensure children will know more and remember more by making links between subjects and year groups which deepen their learning. Geography links with our topics and meets the needs of our children to provide knowledge of our local area as well as ensuring coverage of a diverse range of countries, landscapes and cultures.

Pupils are exposed to a range of subject specific vocabulary through first quality teaching and use of knowledge organisers. This involves children building their vocabulary with scaffolding both in their books and on display in the classroom to explore the meaning and apply these new words to their learning.

Pupil progress is assessed and monitored throughout the year through teacher planning and organisation. Teachers use an end of topic assessment, children’s written work and recordings to contribute to their end of year and end of key stage assessments against age related expectations.

Our aspiration for children when they leave Robert Piggot Schools is to have provided them with a rich and diverse range of experiences and understandings of the world we inhabit. To feel equipped in applying skills and knowledge they have gained, whilst striving to develop their enquiring mind and remain curious.