Geography Curriculum
INTENT
At Stonebridge our Geography curriculum explores the relationship between the world and the people in it. We want our children to see the links between nature (physical geography) and people (human geography) so that as they get older they assume their responsibility to look after the world as well as enjoy the wondrous landscapes, mountains and rivers as well as cultures in the many countries of the world’s continents.
Our intention through the geography curriculum is that the school values of Tenacity, Respect, Ambition, Character and Kindness are demonstrated by all pupils. The school has developed its own curriculum by adapting two schemes and adding contextual themes to meet the needs of the community. The curriculum meets all the expectations of the National curriculum.
We want children to be ‘global citizens’ and be aware of how they impact the world through the choices they make as they become adults. The school has developed its own curriculum by adapting two schemes and adding contextual themes to meet the needs of the community.
We have improved the content by adding a ‘global citizenship aspect so that children can look at how we can preserve the world in which we live through a focus on the UN Sustainable Goals. The curriculum meets all the expectations of the National curriculum.
Our intention is that all pupils
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Develop place and locational knowledge of globally significant places both marine and terrestrial as well a deep understanding of physical and human features and the geographical processes involved.
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Develop the necessary skills to interpret, collect analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through fieldwork.
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To understand and respect the natural world and its resources and understand the interdependency of humans and physical geographical features and how these bring about spatial variations and change over time.
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To understand how our values and attitudes affect the natural world and be pro- active to protect it.
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Interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length
LEAP represents the curriculum principles that guide learning at our school:
- Language-Rich – We nurture confident communication by providing rich opportunities to talk, listen, and build vocabulary, enabling children to express ideas clearly and to a high standard.
- Experiential – We bring learning to life through hands-on experiences (trips, visits, art/design, and real-world exploration) that inspire curiosity and deepen understanding.
- Ambitious – We set the highest expectations for every learner, encouraging them to achieve their best and believe in their potential.
- Purposeful – We design learning that builds on prior knowledge, carefully addressing gaps to ensure meaningful, connected progress. Below is an outline of how these principles are dissimilated in geography.
IMPLEMENTATION
Based on research of learning and working memory our curriculum is designed so that learning is built on over time. The curriculum is organised to address core themes that will be visited horizontally across a year group and vertically visited as children progress through the school.
Five core themes have been selected. These are Settlement and Population, Climate and Landscape, Sustainability and Trade.
- Clear Core knowledge supported by the use of knowledge organisers.
- A clear purpose for the learning centred around a core theme e.g. settlement and population.
- Children acquiring knowledge through reading and discussion, use of artefacts, visits and visitors, taking notes and showing their knowledge through retrieval, testing and quizzing and where appropriate through essay type answers.
- Geography is taught as a discreet lesson using the medium-term plan to aid teacher’s planning.
Our intention is that all pupils
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Develop place and locational knowledge of globally significant places both marine and terrestrial as well a deep understanding of physical and human features and the geographical processes involved.
-
Develop the necessary skills to interpret, collect analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through fieldwork.
-
To understand and respect the natural world and its resources and understand the interdependency of humans and physical geographical features and how these bring about spatial variations and change over time.
-
To understand how our values and attitudes affect the natural world and be pro- active to protect it.
-
Interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length
IMPACT
The impact of the Geography curriculum will be measured in the following ways
- Pupil voice – children able to confidently talk about their learning and recall recent and previous learning
- Pupil voice – children able to show how historical knowledge is impacting on their choices as citizens
- Standards and quality of children’s learning is evaluated through learning reviews, knowledge assessments and outcomes in books.