Intent
At Our Lady and St. Anne’s, we aim to provide our learners with a coherently planned sequence of lessons. This enables the teachers to ensure that the skills and concepts of a geographer are taught and the children develop skills which are transferrable across geography and the rest of the curriculum.
The key skills in geography are:
- Locational knowledge
- Place knowledge
- Human and physical geography
- Geographical skills and fieldwork
- Geographical vocabulary
In EYFS our children are taught geography through knowledge and understanding of the world. This involves guiding the children to make sense of their physical surroundings and local community where exploration and investigation play a vital part in shaping their knowledge, understanding and communication of the world.
Key Stage 1
Locational knowledge is taught and the children learn the names and positions of the continents, the United Kingdom and the capital cities.
In human and physical geography, children identify seasonal patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world.
Basic geographical vocabulary is taught which enables them to refer to key human and physical features in greater depth.
Geographical skills and fieldwork are taught within the school grounds and its surrounding environment.
Key Stage 2
Using maps, locational knowledge is taught with the children learning to recognise and locate the world’s countries predominantly in Europe and North and South America. The significance and position of lines of latitude and longitude are progressively taught throughout the KS.
In human and physical geography, children are taught about topographical features including rivers, mountains and coasts. They learn how these are used and developed to support settlements and economic growth.
Geographical skills and fieldwork are taught using a variety of resources including physical and digital maps, atlases and globes etc. Reading and interpreting maps are taught progressively and include the eight compass points, 4 and 6 grid references and symbols.
Implementation
At Our Lady and St. Anne’s, KS2 geography follows a scheme of work planned and produced by the Bishop Bewick Catholic Trust. Knowledge and skills are taught simultaneously with the skills progressing as the children move through the school. Our lesson plans and resources help the children develop an understanding of the location and place knowledge and differentiate between them. The Trust’s scheme is modelled on the aims and objectives of the National Curriculum.
KS1 and EYFS currently follow the school’s own scheme which is based upon the National Curriculum and the Bishop Bewick Catholic Trust. It is also linked with the history and science programmes of study.
Key vocabulary is built into each lesson and allows the children to be able to explain concepts with greater clarity.
Geographical skills are explored through a variety of independent, paired and group work. Activities can and do take both in the classroom and the wider environment. Activities incorporate the use of physical resources and digital technology as a way to reinforce locational and place knowledge.
Impact
The impact of using a full range of resources, including display materials will be seen to increase the profile of geography in school. The skills taught are transferrable to other subjects and will strengthen and develop the whole curriculum especially history and science as well as enabling the children to become more confident learners. This will also be reflected in the range of geographical vocabulary developed throughout the Key Stages.
