St Wilfrid's C of E Primary School

At St Wilfrid's our children...

We aim to fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum for Geography by delivering a broad, balanced curriculum which ensures the progressive development of geographical concepts, knowledge and skills so children can make sense of the world around them. Children should secure an understanding of physical and human processes, the diversity of our world and the impact of human activity on our environment. We aim to support children to develop contextual knowledge and understanding of their local area and the wider world and engage with a range of fieldwork processes such as interpreting maps, collecting and interrogating data and being able to express themselves using the language of geography. We want our curriculum to inspire our children to be curious and to ask questions, whilst developing a deep understanding of the world in which they live.

Geography begins in Early Years under the curriculum umbrella of ‘Knowledge and   Understanding of the World’ where children learn about their locality, the wider world and geographical features. Books are carefully chosen to provide children with an understanding of the world around them. Children in Year 1 to Year 6 then study 3  geography topics each year from the Kapow scheme of work focusing on the following geographical strands: locational knowledge,  place knowledge, human geography, physical geography, geographical skills and fieldwork. In KS1 the focus is on pupils developing a secure understanding of their locality, the United Kingdom and continents and oceans of the world. This deepens in KS2, beyond locality knowledge and expands to include Europe, North and South America. Geographical knowledge and skills are progressive and previous learning is drawn upon and recalled before any new learning takes place in order to embed key concepts. Fieldwork skills permeate all learning, with pupils making regular use of maps, globes, atlases, digital mapping, compasses and grid references.

Children in EYFS and the early stages of Year 1 record their Geography in a class floor book which includes photographs of activities, children’s comments, thoughts and written work. From the Spring of Year 1 onwards, children have their own Geography book where their work is recorded. Each unit begins with a scroll at the start of their work which summarises key knowledge, skills and vocabulary. Developing the use of the correct vocabulary in geography is crucial and so key words are identified and listed on the scroll for each unit of learning.

Children will increase and develop their geographical skills as well as recognise physical and human geographical processes. They will have a depth of contextual knowledge, including the human and physical features of certain places and will be able to participate in discussions about current issues affecting changing landscapes and environments. They will increase their understanding of local geography, geography of other parts of the UK and the wider world, enabling them to make comparisons. Through different experiences, they will be able to use a range of geographical information including maps, diagrams, globes and aerial photographs and be able to use different forms of fieldwork including collecting, analysing and communicating a range of data. Children will understand their roles as citizens of the world and develop their interest in where they live and their connection to the wider world, arousing curiosity, open-mindedness and a motivation to learn.