Intent
Our aim for Geography at St. Joseph’s is for all children to achieve outstanding progress and attainment, covering all National Curriculum objectives within our learning challenge curriculum.
Learning in Geography is promoted through enquiry and a creative and reflective approach, where each child is given the opportunity to aspire to reach a greater depth of knowledge, understanding and higher-level thinking skills.
We aim for all children to enjoy learning new geographical concepts, terminology and language and being able to confidently apply the skills learnt in different contexts.
Our aim is for our pupils to become global citizens who are aware about how we can make our world more sustainable in the future.
Implementation
In Geography, we practise the teachings of our learning objectives based on promoting positive, enquiry based and creative interactions across our whole school community.
Our passionate teachers ensure that there is coverage made according to the learning objectives set out, that all learners are given the time and opportunities to build and develop their geographical skills to attain outstanding progress and to deepen their geographical knowledge and skills through outdoor learning opportunities including map skills to plan school trips and visits of geographical interest.
Our pupils have opportunities to explore questions, using a research based enquiry approach taken from this curriculum where they will use maps, atlases and outdoor learning, where possible.
EYFS: In Early Years, geography is taught within topics through the ‘Understanding the World’ EYFS Development Matters Framework.
The topics taught in our Little Joe’s EYFS setting have been carefully selected to ensure that the necessary geographical skills are being taught and built upon throughout the early years.
Children begin to develop their geographical knowledge by exploring features of our school.
Children have opportunities to make use of school grounds to enhance and apply their skills as geographers. Throughout the year, children observe and discuss the weather and seasonal changes.
Children learn about the different jobs, which people do in our community and are introduced to the idea that there are different countries in the world in which we live.
Our children’s learning is enriched through a variety of experiences to enhance their knowledge of the world around them. Our school grounds and local area provide excellent opportunities for fieldwork.
KS1 & KS2: Geography is part of our Learning Challenge Curriculum and is taught in 6 week block of lessons across three half term geography topics per year. Each Unit of Work has been carefully chosen from PlanBee (an online, subscription-based geography resource for primary schools) with maximum opportunities for cross curriculum learning where possible.
The scheme of work is aligned with the National Curriculum requirements for geography and ensures progressive, comprehensive curriculum coverage across all year groups. Consideration of progression and continuity at an individual and a class level ensures that the work planned is appropriate for the stage the children have reached. Differentiation should be taken into account to cater for the need of individuals or groups.
Impact
All pupils have opportunities to contribute to Geography lessons taught to strengthen their understanding of each concept. Effective next step marking enables pupils to reflect on their work to make further progress.
Through lesson observations, pupil voice questionnaires, pupil interviews and book scrutiny, it is evident that pupils achieve well and enjoy geography. Teachers are well supported through regular CPD sessions arranged in this subject so these are taught enthusiastically to capture the children’s attention.
Data shows a good level of attainment across the whole school with disadvantaged pupils mostly in line or above non-disadvantaged pupils. All teachers are able to accurately assess children’s progress to ensure progress against end of year expectations.
It is evident that the learning taking place is providing the children with the skills and knowledge that will equip our children to confidently explore current local and global issues, which affect our environment and our world.
Curriculum Overviews