Intent

Stratton Primary School aims to deliver a rich and purposeful Geography curriculum (which follows the 2014 National Curriculum and is in line with the EYFS Framework) which should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. Our intention is to develop pupils’ interest in diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. They will develop skills to think like a geographer.

During Key Stage 1, pupils will develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They will understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.

During Key Stage 2, pupils will extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They will develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge.

All children will be taught basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational and place awareness and knowledge.

Implementation

The Stratton Curriculum is underpinned by the 2014 National Curriculum. Teachers’ planning is supported by the geography progression of skills document and curriculum map. Geography is delivered in a way that is sequenced towards cumulative knowledge and skills, building on prior learning.

Our geography curriculum is structured into five key areas of learning:

• Locational and place knowledge
• Human and physical geography
• Geographical skills and fieldwork
• Sustainability
• Geographical enquiry

Teaching and Learning:

• Teachers looking for opportunities to link to other areas of the curriculum.
• Using local and national resources to offer hands on experiences of the periods being studied. 
• To research and develop resources to support diversity in Geography.
• Using the Stratton Curriculum, including the geography skills progression and curriculum maps to support planning.
• Quizzing at regular intervals. Quiz 1 should be completed at the beginning of the topic, quiz 2 in the middle of the unit and quiz 3 at the end. You should then do one further follow up quiz a couple of months later.
• Opportunities for outdoor geography, such as direction, is planned regularly.
• Children will be given the opportunity to experience geographical fieldwork.  Knowledge organisers are created by pupils. Pupils start a topic with anything they think they already know. At the beginning of each subsequent lesson (Geography or History), the children will have five minutes to retrieve any learning they can recall about the topic. Each week they should record these new pieces of knowledge in a different colour. This can also be used as an assessment tool by teachers if needed but its primary purpose is to develop children’s retrieval skills.

The National Curriculum objectives (in bold) are covered through the topics taught: 

Impact

Children at Stratton Primary School will become more aware of their place in the world and the impact they have on this planet. They will develop a greater understanding and appreciation for their local environment and community. Outcomes in books and floorbooks will evidence an acquisition of key knowledge relating to the identified national curriculum strands. 

This will be monitored by Key Stage leads and the subject coordinator using a variety of methods, including: drop-ins, pupil conferencing and book looks.