Geography:
The National Curriculum states 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. Teaching should support pupils to enhance their knowledge about different places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
Aims:
The national curriculum for geography aims to ensure that all pupils:
- 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;
- 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.
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.
Intent
At Temple Grove, we want our children to be aware of their surroundings and to appreciate the contrast of belonging a rural area compared to an urban area. Our geography curriculum provides pupils with an understanding of places and environments. Through their work in geography, children learn about their local area and compare their life in this area with that in other regions in the United Kingdom and in the rest of the world. They learn how to draw and interpret maps and they develop the skills of research, investigation, analysis and problem solving. Through their growing knowledge and understanding of human geography, children gain an appreciation of life in other cultures and how people live differently in localities different to our own.
Implementation
- To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in geography, we link learning across all subjects so that there are clear commonalities and big ideas can be thoroughly embedded;
- The International Primary Curriculum is a scheme available to teachers to enable them to deliver balanced coverage of topics and themes across key stages, providing teachers with creative ideas and activities;
- Geography is taught on a termly basis, focusing on the knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum. It is taught as a discretely but links are always made to learning in other subjects;
- Each classroom is home to a display reflecting one of the humanities units of work across a term. This will be part working wall – showing key vocabulary – and part celebration of pupils’ best work;
- Extended writing is expected and should be purposeful; the quality of this writing should be the same as in English books;
- At Temple Grove, we appreciate the importance of local visits, trips and outdoor learning. This supports children’s understanding of geography and helps them to make further connections and experiences should be reflected in their written work.
Impact
- Children are becoming increasingly aware of their value and place in the world, locally, nationally and globally as they move through the school;
- Children at Temple Grove develop a deep knowledge, understanding and appreciation of their local area as well as areas in the near and more distant vicinity;
- Children are motivated to take care of their immediate and local community and are aware of the difference they can make to the changing world.