Develop an excellent knowledge of where places are, and what they are like.
Promote a passion for, and commitment to, the subject, and a real sense of curiosity to find out about the world and the people who live there.
Develop an excellent understanding of the ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected and how much human and physical environments are interrelated.
Teach an extensive base of geographical knowledge and vocabulary.
Develop fluency in complex, geographical enquiry and the ability to apply questioning skills and use effective analytical and presentational techniques.
Promote the ability to reach clear conclusions and develop a reasoned argument to explain findings.
Encourage significant levels of originality, imagination or creativity as shown in interpretations and representations of the subject matter.
Make use of highly developed fieldwork and other geographical skills and techniques.
Develop the ability to express well-balanced opinions, rooted in very good knowledge and understanding of current and contemporary issues in society and the environment.
Our geography projects are sequenced to provide a coherent subject scheme that develops children’s geographical knowledge, skills and subject disciplines.
Geographical locations are not specified in the national curriculum, so they have been chosen to provide a broad and diverse understanding of the world. Throughout the geography scheme, there is complete coverage of all national curriculum programmes of study.
Where there are opportunities for making meaningful connections with other projects, geography projects are sequenced accordingly. For example, children revisit the geography of settlements in the history project School Days after studying types of settlements in the geography project Bright Lights, Big City.
Lower School
In Years 1 and 2, each autumn term begins with essential skills and knowledge projects (Our Wonderful World in Year 1 and Let’s Explore the World in Year 2). Teaching these projects in Years 1 and 2 enables children to be introduced to, or revisit, critical geographical concepts, aspects, skills and knowledge. These projects prepare children for the study of more thematic geography projects in the following term.
In the spring term of Year 1, children study the project Bright Lights, Big City. This project introduces children to the geography of urban environments and the physical and human features of the United Kingdom.
In contrast, in the spring term of Year 2, children carry out a detailed study of coastal geography in the project Coastline.
In Years 3 and 4, children begin with essential skills and knowledge projects (One Planet, Our World in Year 3 and Interconnected World in Year 4). Teaching these projects in Years 3 and 4 enables children to further develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of key geographical aspects and concepts and prepares them to study more thematic geography projects in the following term.
In the spring term of Year 3, children study the project Rocks, Relics and Rumbles, which explores physical features and geographical phenomena, including earthquakes and volcanoes.
Upper School
In the spring term of Year 4, children carry out a detailed study of the physical features of mountains and rivers through the project Misty Mountain, Winding River, which includes opportunities for in-depth fieldwork.
In Years 5 and 6, children again begin with essential skills and knowledge projects (Investigating Our World in Year 5 and Our Changing World in Year 6). Teaching these projects in Years 5 and 6 enables children to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of key geographical aspects and concepts and prepares them to study more thematic geography projects in the following term.
In the spring term of Year 5, children study the seasonal project Sow, Grow and Farm, which explores farming, agriculture and rural land use.
In the spring term of Year 6, children study the polar regions in the project Frozen Kingdoms. The project includes an in-depth analysis of the characteristics of these regions, including environmental issues.
By the end of KS2, our 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. Children’s knowledge and skills will develop progressively as they move through the school, not only to enable them to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum but to prepare them to become competent geographers in secondary education.