Geography at Grenoside Community Primary School

Statement of intent for geography

We believe that Geography helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. Children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. The curriculum enables children to develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and are used to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Geography is, by nature, an investigative subject, which develops and understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. We seek to inspire in children, a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that 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. The curriculum is designed to develop knowledge and skills that are progressive, as well as transferable, throughout children’s time at Grenoside Community Primary School as well as build their cultural capital they need to succeed in life.

Implementation

In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in geography, teachers have identified the key knowledge and skills of each topic and consideration has been given to ensure progression across topics throughout each year group and across the school.

Geography is taught as part of a half-termly topic, focusing on knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum. Knowledge and vocabulary mats are introduced at the beginning of each topic and are designed to help learners remember in the long term the content they have been taught and to integrate new knowledge into larger concepts.

At the beginning of each topic, children are able to convey what they know already, as well as what they would like to find out. This informs the programme of study and also ensures that lessons are relevant and take account of children’s different starting points. Consideration is given to how greater depth will be taught, learnt and demonstrated within each lesson, as well as how all learners will be supported in line with the school’s commitment to inclusion.

We believe that it is important in enabling all children to gain ‘real-life’ experiences. Therefore, the local area is fully utilised to achieve the desired outcomes, with extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice.

The curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge and skills for future learning and employment. For example, using the local area to follow maps in Key Stage 1, to comparing the similarities and differences in environments and communities in Lower Key Stage 2, through to debating world issues on pollution in Upper Key Stage 2.

Impact

Children’s topic books evidence a broad and balanced geography curriculum and demonstrate children’s acquisition of identified key knowledge. Children review the knowledge and skills they have learned at the end of every topic through a ‘topic review’. As children progress throughout the school, they develop a deep knowledge, understanding an appreciation of their local area and its place within the wider geographical context. Children are able to learn about careers related to geography to ensure that they are well prepared for the next steps of their education. Geographical understanding, as well as children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is supported and helps them to have a greater understanding of their place in the world, and their rights and responsibilities to other people and the environment.