Geography
GEOGRAPHY
Intent
Within our geography curriculum, we aim to develop and deepen our children’s understanding of the conditions and features which make up our physical environment. We believe that stimulating their interest in their surroundings, developing their geographical enquiry and skills through first-hand experiences will inspire our children to learn. Our children are encouraged to develop not only a greater understanding and knowledge of the world but their place within it. The geography curriculum at Widewell enables children to develop knowledge and skills which are transferable to other curriculum areas and which can and are used to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Geography is, by nature, an investigative subject, which develops an understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. We seek to inspire in our children, curiosity and fascination about the world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives; to promote the children’s interest and understanding of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. Our geography curriculum is designed to develop knowledge and skills which are progressive, as well as transferable, throughout their time at Widewell and also to their further education and beyond.
At Widewell, we want our children to develop an informed concern and consider the quality of their world; leaving us with a clear understanding of what it means to be a global citizen in today’s world.
Implementation
At Widewell, geography is taught every half term (6 units per year). We have carefully designed our thematic curriculum in which opportunities to apply knowledge and skills from other subjects are woven into historical, geographical, and scientific theme headings. This ensures that concepts are revisited in different contexts and linked to and built upon previous learning wherever possible.
Teachers have identified the key knowledge and skills of each blocked theme and consideration has been given to ensure that there is progression across themes and throughout each year group. At the beginning of each theme, children are able to convey what they know already as well as what they would like to find out. This informs planning and also ensures that lessons are relevant and take account of children’s different starting points.
We provide quality geographical visits that take full advantage of our locality and extensive opportunities for fieldwork and learning outside the classroom. Knowledge Organisers act as an aide-memoire of key knowledge and are shared with parents.
Units of study are chosen to suit particular year groups, based on cross-curricular links and the complexity of concepts taught within them. Our immediate locality is explored first in the early years and KS1 and we continue to reference and build on knowledge across the school.
Impact
Children’s outcomes can be seen on Tapestry (Early Years), topic books, photographic records and displays around the school. End of unit quizzes are used to revisit knowledge, skills and concepts as well as being a key assessment tool for the teacher to see progress and notice gaps in knowledge. At the beginning of the theme, children generate their own questions to follow up their individual interests, answers to which are built up as the term progresses.