Geography

Intent

At Churchill Primary School our Geography curriculum is designed to develop children’s curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Children investigate a range of places – both in Britain and abroad – to help develop their knowledge and understanding of the Earth’s physical and human processes. We are committed to providing children with opportunities to investigate and make enquiries about their local areas of Churchill and Langford as well as Weston-super-Mare and Bristol so that they can develop of real sense of who they are, their heritage and what makes our local area unique and special.

Using maps, atlases and globes

Using the school grounds

Implementation

Geography at Churchill Primary School is taught in discrete blocks throughout the year, so that children can achieve depth in their learning, although wherever possible, subject links are exploited, particularly links with our values-based learning and, where appropriate, History. Knowledge based planning ensures coverage of both the required knowledge and the subject specific vocabulary. Individual sessions are planned to inspire, engage and challenge pupils in response to their needs. Our team provide exciting experiences which feed our children’s curiosity of the world and embrace their inquisitive nature both in the classroom and out. We encourage school visits and visitors into school to enable the children to gain first-hand experiences to support their learning. The local area is fully utilised to achieve the desired outcomes, with opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice.

Our Geography curriculum covers the knowledge outlined in the National Curriculum through broad, challenging and inspiring themes. Progression is planned across the whole school in knowledge, skills and vocabulary so that pupils by the end of year 6 have the geographical ability and appetite to be successful in Geography in their secondary school. The progression grid carefully builds on prior learning so that children can make sense of the subject, making horizontal and vertical links between areas of learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) follows the ‘Development Matters in the EYFS’ guidance which aims for all children in reception to have an ‘Understanding of the World; people and communities, the world and technology’ by the end of the academic year.

School visits to support learning

Learning to use a compass at Lower Stock Farm

Visitors into school

A parent who lived in Australia sharing his knowledge

Impact

Through the high quality first teaching of Geography taking place we will see the impact of the subject in different ways.

Through pupil voice children will be able to talk about the skills and knowledge they have acquired.
Children will be engaged in Geography lessons and want to find out more.
Children will complete research independently through projects and homework and to further their own enjoyment about the subject or topic.
Work will show that a range of topics is being covered, subject links are made where possible and differentiated work set as appropriate.
The school environment will be geography rich through displays, resources, vocabulary etc.
Children will have developed the geographical knowledge and skills to help them explore, navigate and understand the world around them and their place in it.