Geography
Intent
To give the children at Culmstock an appreciation of their local environment, diverse places, people, resources and natural and physical environments together with a deep understanding of the earth’s key physical and human processes. Our geography skills are progressive which enables children to understand the interaction between physical and human processes, and the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Through geographical knowledge we give our children the frameworks they need to explain how the earth’s features are shaped, interconnected and change over time. Through exploring their local environment; the Blackdown Hills, the River Culm, Tiverton, Exeter and the coast students are competent in collecting, analysing, interpreting and communicating their findings in appropriate ways. Through our geography lessons we hope our children develop a great understanding and respect for the world around them.
Our Geography Drivers
1. To give our pupils an appreciation and understanding of their own location and significant global places.
2. To teach our pupils about the impact of human and natural forces on our world and how that effects the way we live.
3. For our pupils to develop an understanding and respect for the world around us.
4. For our pupils to have a secure knowldege and understanding of maps and fieldwork.
5. For our pupils to understand the interaction and interdependence between physical and human processes.
Our Geography Focuses
1. To strengthen our pupil's map work skills.
2. To ensure pupils are given various opportunities to develop field work skills.
3. For our pupils to continually consider thier responsibility as a global citizen.
Implementation
Geography is planned in topics, half termly within a two year rolling programme. Children are explicitly taught the relevant vocabulary for geography and this is displayed on the working wall and referenced during teaching. Assessments in the form of ‘Quizzes’ are at the beginning, middle and end of all units of study to measure attainment and ensure long term knowledge is embedded. Key vocabulary and knowledge is highlighted at the start of every unit through the use of a knowledge organiser in pupil’s exercise books. Geography skills from the National Curriculum have been mapped out across the school to ensure the skills are taught in progression. All teaching of Geography is in line with the National Curriculum programme of study. We use our local environment for fieldwork and to enhance our learning in the classroom.
Impact
As a result of our curriculum design, all our children have developed the geographical skills needed to explore, navigate and understand the world they live in. All children are competent using geographical vocabulary. They are confident discussing geographical processes and using geographical vocabulary. To go and become competent geographers in their secondary education and beyond.
Geography at Culmstock Primary School
The stated purpose of the geography national curriculum is to ‘inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.’ (DfE, 2013, p184).
The programme of study outlines the subject content for KS1 and KS2 under four headings:
Locational knowledge
Place knowledge
Human and physical geography
Geographical skills and fieldwork
Geography is planned with knowledge at the very core of the subject. It is designed for pupils to learn about the UK and to develop their knowledge of major geographical features in other parts of the world. Seasonal weather patterns are featured in Key Stage 1. Key lines of latitude and longitude are highlighted in Key Stage 2.
Planning includes place studies as required by the NC.
KS1 study a small area of the UK and a small area in a contrasting non- European country.
KS2 study the human and physical geography of a region in the UK, Europe and North or South America.
Pupils progress from reading and making simple maps at KS1 and progress to Ordnance Survey maps and four and six figure grid references in Upper KS2. Fieldwork is planned throughout the curriculum.
Planning reflects the curriculum intent ‘to equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.’(DfE, 2013; pg184)
