Intent

‘You can travel the seas, poles and deserts and see nothing. To really understand the world, you need to get under the skin of the people and places. In other words, learn about geography. I can’t imagine a subject more relevant in schools. We’d all be lost without it.’  Michael Palin.

At St Benedict’s we aim to provide a high-quality geography education through a Curriculum that inspires pupils and develops a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. Teaching will 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. Reading and books are used to enhance the Geography curriculum. As pupils progress, their knowledge about the world will help them to deepen their understanding of the relationship 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.  St Benedicts has a range of geographical features in our local area including; beaches, marsh lands and local urban areas. Children study their local environment enabling them to make connections and build a solid understanding of their local area and beyond.

Aims of the Geography Curriculum

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

Implementation

At St Benedict’s, Geography is taught across each year in units.  Our Curriculum enables pupils to study in depth key geographical understanding, skills and vocabulary. Each unit aims to activate and build upon prior learning, including EYFS, to ensure better cognition and retention. Each module is carefully sequenced to enable pupils to purposefully layer learning from previous sessions to facilitate the acquisition and retention of key geographical knowledge. Each module is revisited either later in the year or in the following year as part of a spaced retrieval practice method to ensure pupils retain key knowledge and information.

As well as ensuring pupils are taught key knowledge, each unit is designed to offer pupils the opportunity to develop their skills as a geographer in asking questions, planning and carrying out fieldwork, collecting and analysing information and drawing conclusions.

Impact

Teachers will assess pupils throughout each session to allow them to monitor pupils and inform planning for subsequent sessions. Pupils who are identified as needing support will be supported either during post teaching interventions or in the following session as appropriate. Pupils working at above expected standard will also be identified and challenged appropriately to extend their learning. Evidence of this support or challenge and necessary feedback will be clear in books.

Useful Information