St Mark's CE Primary School

GEOGRAPHY

Intent

The intention of the Geography Curriculum at St. Mark’s CE Primary School is to inspire pupils with a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. We intend to equip children with geographical skills to develop their knowledge through studying diverse places, people and natural and human environments. This seeks to deepen the understanding of the Earth’s human and physical forms and processes. Geography, by nature, is an investigative subject. Through our teaching, we intend to provoke thought, questions and to encourage children to discover answers to their own questions through exploration and research to enable them to gain a greater understanding and knowledge of the world and their place in it. By revisiting these areas of learning regularly children will remember more, know more and understand more about Geography.

Implementation

Geography at St. Mark’s is taught in blocks throughout the year, so that children can achieve depth in their learning. We have identified the key knowledge and skills of each blocked topic and theses are mapped across the school, ensuring that knowledge builds progressively and that children develop skills systematically. Existing knowledge is checked at the beginning of each topic, as part of the KWL strategy (What I know, What I would like to Know and What I have Learned). This ensures that teaching is informed by the children’s starting points and that it takes account of pupil voice, incorporating children’s interests. Tasks are selected and designed to provide appropriate challenge to all learners, in line with the school’s commitment to inclusion. At the end of each topic, key knowledge is reviewed by the children and rigorously checked by the teacher and consolidated as necessary.

Cross curricular outcomes in geography are specifically planned for and these are indicated on the whole school Geography Knowledge and Skills Progression Map. The Geography provision is also well resourced and specific resources are mapped to specific year groups and topics to support effective teaching and learning. Geography will be linked into some History topics, where appropriate, to develop children’s knowledge and understanding. It will also ensure all areas of the curriculum are covered in depth. Teachers are encouraged to consider opportunities available to use the school grounds and the local area for fieldwork to enable children to base learning on first hand experiences to enhance teaching and learning in Geography

Impact

Children will have developed the geographical knowledge and skills to help them explore, navigate and understand the world around them and their place in it, supported by fieldwork.

Children’s knowledge and skills will develop progressively as they move through the school, not only to enable them to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum but to prepare them to become competent geographers in secondary education.