Geography

Intent

At Seton Community Primary School, our intent for geography education is to provide all pupils with a well-rounded and meaningful understanding of the world around them. We aim to instil a curiosity about different places, peoples, and environments, fostering a deep appreciation and respect for the diverse cultures and physical geography of our planet. Our geography curriculum is designed to develop the knowledge, skills, and understanding necessary for pupils to become good global citizens who can actively contribute to and thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

 

Implementation

 To achieve our intent, we have carefully implemented a geography curriculum that reflects the best practices highlighted in reports deemed outstanding by Ofsted. Our implementation strategy includes:

We have designed a progressive and coherent geography curriculum, ensuring that knowledge and skills build upon previous learning. The curriculum is structured in a way that allows pupils to develop a secure understanding of geographical concepts and processes. We have mapped out key topics and themes, ensuring coverage of the national curriculum objectives for geography at each key stage.

We provide a wide range of high-quality resources to engage and stimulate pupils' interest in geography. These include maps, atlases, globes, photographs, videos, and interactive digital resources. We also incorporate real-life examples and case studies to make learning more relevant and meaningful.

We believe that hands-on experiences are crucial for deepening pupils' understanding of geography. We plan regular fieldwork opportunities, both within our school grounds and beyond, providing chances for pupils to explore and investigate the local area and its geographical features. We encourage pupils to record their observations, conduct surveys, and analyse data, developing their practical geographical skills.

Geography is not taught in isolation but is integrated with other subjects. We actively seek opportunities to make cross-curricular links, allowing pupils to apply geographical knowledge and skills across various contexts. For example, pupils might create graphs and charts to analyse climate data or write persuasive letters advocating for environmental conservation.

We promote cultural enrichment by exploring different countries, cultures, and lifestyles. We celebrate diversity in our school community and encourage pupils to develop an understanding of other cultures and to respect the similarities and differences between people. We incorporate world stories, artefacts, music, and artwork to enrich pupils' knowledge and understanding of the wider world.

 

Long Term Plan

During each academic year, our teaching is based on the Cornerstone Curriculum and uses topics to teach the children the required content from the National Curriculum. The planning sequence used allows prior learning to be recapped and new content taught, all whilst ensuring the learning is engaging and challenging for the children.

As we have mixed age classes, our Geography curriculum is planned on a two year Cycle.

 

Cycle B (2023/24)

 

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Class 1

Let’s Explore

Build It Up

 

Marvellous Machines

Puppets and Pop Ups

Long Ago,

Stories and Rhymes

 

 

Ready, Steady, Grow,

Signs of Spring

Animal Safari,

Creep, Crawl and Wriggle

 

 

On the Beach, Move It,

Moving On (Reception only)

Class 2

Let’s Explore the World

Coastline

 

Magnificent Monarchs

Class 3

Invasion

 

Interconnected World

Misty Mountain, Winding River

Ancient Civilisations

Class 4

Maafa

 

Our Changing World

Frozen Kingdom

Britain at War

 

Cycle A – 2024/25

 

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Class 1

Me and My Community,

Once Upon a Time

 

Exploring Autumn,

Sparkle and Shine

Starry Night,

Dangerous Dinosaurs

 

 

Winter Wonderland, Puddles and Rainbows

Sunshine and Sunflowers,

Big, Wide World

 

 

Shadows and Reflections,

Splash!

Class 2

Our Wonderful World

Bright Lights, Big City

 

School Days

Class 3

Through the Ages

 

One Planet, Our World

Rocks, Relics and Rumbles

Emperors and Empires

Class 4

Dynamic Dynasties

 

Investigating our World

Sow, Grow and Farm

Groundbreaking Greeks

 

Impact

Through our intent and implementation strategies, we aim to have a positive impact on our pupils' learning and development. We strive for the following outcomes:

1. Knowledgeable and passionate learners

Our pupils acquire a breadth and depth of geographical knowledge, including locational knowledge, place knowledge, human and physical geography, and geographical skills. They demonstrate a genuine enthusiasm for the subject, actively engaging in classroom discussions and investigations. They confidently use appropriate geographical vocabulary to articulate their understanding.

2. Critical thinkers and problem solvers

Our pupils develop critical thinking skills, analysing and evaluating information about geographical issues and patterns. They are able to make links between different geographical concepts and apply their knowledge to solve real-life problems. They develop a spatial awareness and are able to interpret maps, graphs, and diagrams effectively.

3. Responsible global citizens

Our pupils develop a sense of responsibility towards the environment and the wider world. They understand the need for sustainable development and appreciate the interconnectedness of global issues. They are equipped with the skills to actively participate in discussions about geographical challenges and suggest informed solutions.

4. High attainment and progress

Through our outstanding geography curriculum, pupils make substantial progress in their knowledge, skills, and understanding. This progress is evidenced through formative and summative assessments, including written work, practical tasks, and fieldwork reports. Pupils achieve high standards in accordance with the expectations set out in the national curriculum.

5. Positive attitudes and personal development

Our geography curriculum fosters positive attitudes towards learning and promotes personal development. Pupils develop a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world, becoming more open-minded and tolerant individuals. They develop leadership skills, collaborative working skills, and resilience through engaging with geographical investigations and group projects.