Geography at Carleton Endowed CE (VA) Primary School
Geography is essentially about understanding the world we live in. It helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. At Carleton Endowed Primary School children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. The geography curriculum enables children to develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas. Geography is an investigative subject, which develops an understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. At Carleton our intent, when teaching geography, is to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the world and people within it; to promote the children’s interest and understanding of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.
Intent:
- To deliver a progressive Geography curriculum which teaches knowledge and skills.
- To ensure a curriculum that develops a greater understanding of the world
- To ensure that there is a much greater emphasis on the ‘powerful knowledge’ that children need in order to not only truly understand concepts, but also to enable them to apply the knowledge, offer informed explanations, make links and spot patterns.
Implementation:
In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in Geography, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. Geography is taught as part of a half-termly topic, focusing on knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum.
Key focus elements:
- Clear and progressive comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum: The Geography National Curriculum and EYFS is planned for and covered in full within the EYFS, KS1 and KS2 school curriculum. This ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children.
- Knowledge organisers: Children have access to key knowledge, language and meanings to understand Geography and to use these skills across the curriculum.
- Knowledge checks: Used regularly to support learners’ ability to block learning and increase space in the working memory.
- Challenge questions for pupils to apply their learning in a philosophical/open manner.
- It is important that children develop the skills of a geographer by fully immersing them in all areas of the subject. The local area is fully utilised to achieve desired outcomes, with opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practise. School trips and fieldwork are provided to give first hand experiences, which enhance children’s understanding of the world beyond their locality.
Impact:
Our Geography Curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. By the time children leave Carleton they will:
- have an excellent knowledge of where places are and what they are like.
- have an excellent understanding of the ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected and how much human and physical environments are interrelated.
- have an extensive base of geographical knowledge and vocabulary.
- be fluent in complex, geographical enquiry and the ability to apply questioning skills and use effective analytical and presentational techniques.
- have the ability to reach clear conclusions and develop a reasoned argument to explain findings.
- have significant levels of originality, imagination or creativity as shown in interpretations and representations of the subject matter.
- have frequently utilised fieldwork and other geographical skills and techniques.
- have a passion for and commitment to the subject, and a real sense of curiosity to find out about the world and the people who live there.
- have the ability to express well-balanced opinions, rooted in very good knowledge and understanding about current and contemporary issues in society and the environment.