Geography

Geography

We aim to inspire pupils’ curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should 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. As children 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 children:

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 Moss Lane, we want our children to have an awareness of their surroundings; to appreciate the contrast of living within the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We are committed to providing all children with learning opportunities to engage in Geography. Geography teaches 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. Geography teaching also motivates children to find out about the physical world and enables them to recognise the importance of sustainable development for the future of humankind.

Implement

To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in geography, we have recently updated the school’s long-term plan to ensure that we provide a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school.
Our scheme enables teachers to deliver balanced coverage of topics and themes across key stages, providing consistency across year groups and EYFS and Key Stage 1.
Geography is taught on a half-termly basis, focusing on the knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum. It is taught as a discrete subject with cross-curricular links to other subject areas being made wherever possible e.g. links to the English text, art topic or science unit of work.
Classrooms are home to displays, which reflect units of work covering humanities. This may be at the start of the unit to provide stimulus and support learning or at the end of a unit to celebrate children’s outcomes.
Key vocabulary is introduced to children within the unit of work and displayed in classrooms to support its use.  In order to develop writing across the curriculum, teachers plan an extended piece of writing for each unit of work.
Children are given opportunities to show their existing knowledge and understanding, as well as their interests.
At Moss Lane, we recognise that visitors and guest speakers, local visits, trips and outdoor learning support children’s understanding, help to make greater connections for them and brings geography to life and so try to build these opportunities into topics.
At Moss Lane we recognise that local visits, trips and outdoor learning support children’s understanding of geography and help to make greater connections with their lives and try to build these opportunities into topics.

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 Moss Lane develop a deep knowledge, understanding and appreciation of their local area and its place within the wider geographical context.
Children are motivated to take care of their immediate environment and are aware of the difference they can make to the changing world.