Geography Curriculum Intent

Our Geography curriculum intends to engage children in the wider world, people, places and the environment. We aim to provide pupils with a deeper understanding of the world’s oceans, continents, major countries and cities, human and physical geography and environmental issues. Key skills such map knowledge and Geographical enquiry are promoted throughout the curriculum and run alongside the teaching of Geography topics.

In Key stage 1, Pupils will develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They will begin to 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.

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

Purpose of study

A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

Aims

The national curriculum for geography aims to ensure that all pupils:

•  develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes
•  understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time
•  are competent in the geographical skills needed to:
•  collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes
•  interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
•  communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.

Geography lessons at St Richard's

There are many opportunities at St Richard's for children to learn abut the world in which we live. Where possible children are taken on field trips to develop their understanding.