Geography

At Linthwaite Clough, Geography is a valued part of our curriculum; our goal is to inspire children’s curiosity, interest and appreciation for the world in which they live. We aim to equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and landscapes, together with a deepening understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. Children learn about their home and local area, whilst developing a knowledge, understanding and respect for the wider world and the people who live there.  Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills help our children develop an understanding of how the Earth’s features are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

Our Geography curriculum is shaped by our school vision which encourages children to be bold, brave and brilliant!

What is Geography?

“It’s places in the world and people and sometimes a bit of History.” Lola Y3

We implement an ambitious geography curriculum that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and the Early Years Framework, incorporating the four main areas of learning at each key stage: place, location, human and physical and geographical skills and fieldwork.  Using the Collins Connected Scheme, we structure learning in geography through question-led enquiries about relevant geographical topics, places and themes. Our curriculum is therefore ‘knowledge rich’ rather than content heavy. Ancillary questions are used to direct learning through each enquiry, creating small steps that help the children develop a deeper understanding of the subject.

Our Geography curriculum has been adapted to meet the needs of our mixed aged classes and runs on a two-year cycle. Thus, geographical skills, concepts, and vocabulary become progressively more challenging between phases, as opposed to between individual year groups. Children in the year 2/3 class, are taught alongside their own year group, rather than a mixed one and follow their respective enquiries.

Important subject knowledge is taught as part of each enquiry and this is balanced with opportunities for pupils to gain a deeper understanding of geographical concepts, enabling children to come to their own conclusions and make judgements in answer to each enquiry question. Geography is taught in alternate half terms when it is taught weekly.

Geography lessons are designed to be interesting, accessible and stimulating and to provide appropriate challenge and support to all learners. A range of resources and technologies are used, such as OS maps, aerial photos and Digimaps to deepen understanding and develop geographical skills. During each enquiry, a working wall is created which displays the enquiry and ancillary questions, key vocabulary as well as examples of work from each lesson. The working wall is used during lessons as a memory aid to remind children of prior learning and to develop their understanding of key concepts. Across school, lessons follow a similar structure and begin by revisiting vocabulary and prior learning via a low- stakes quiz to recap: ’last week, last term, last year’. During lessons, teachers assess learning in geography against key learning objectives using a range of technique.Assessment opportunities are created which will allow the children to evidence their understanding of key objectives and allow teachers to accurately report pupil’s progress. In geography we ensure that cross-curricular links made are meaningful and at the appropriate level for the phase the children are in.

Children explore a range of places, from the local area to the wider world, developing their understanding of both human and physical processes. Children have the opportunity to collect and analyse data, interpret geographical information (maps, globes, climate data etc.) and to communicate their knowledge in a variety of ways. Within the school locality and the wider local area, fieldwork is planned in order to develop children’s subject knowledge and gain skills which are difficult to work on within the classroom. Where it is not possible to complete particular fieldwork, concepts and skills are practised in school.

Our geography curriculum offers ambitious and knowledge-heavy lessons, which are progressive in nature. By the end of KS2 our children will know more, understand more and remember more about geography and the world around them, preparing them as they progress into KS3. Geographical questioning helps pupils to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of the world and its people, while our scheme of work explicitly set out the essential knowledge and disciplinary skills of geography to be taught. Through the breadth and depth that our geography curriculum offers, our children are provided with a broad knowledge of the world they live in and of the places they may go, and understand, as responsible citizens, how they need to care and preserve the planet for future generations.