Intent

At Summerside, our Geography curriculum aims to instil a curiosity for the world and the people who live there and develop in all our children the characteristics and attributes of a geographer. They will have an excellent knowledge of where terrestrial and marine places are and of their physical and human characteristics, both in the UK and the wider world. They will learn that geographical locations and places are interdependent and interconnected and understand the processes that shaped and changed their features over time. They will accumulate the fieldwork skills of collecting and analysing data using a variety of sources such as globes, maps, aerial photographs and digital mapping. Over time, they will develop a fluency in complex, geographical enquiry skills such as questioning, explaining and effectively presenting their findings and conclusions. They will be able to express well-balanced opinions based on their acquired knowledge and understanding about current issues in society and the environment. By the end of their primary schooling, they will have an extensive base of geographical knowledge, skills and vocabulary

Implementation

Geography is taught through cross-curricular projects, designed to give children opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes of a geographer. Each project features key geographical knowledge, geographical skills and their linked vocabulary.

As children progress through the school, they revisit the appropriately sequenced geographical knowledge, skills and vocabulary so that they are built on year-by-year and across projects. This ensures children are given opportunities to achieve depth in their learning. All topics have cross curricular links, enabling natural over- teaching to further enrich and consolidate learning, which are embedded practice within the Geography curriculum.

Children are provided with a variety of opportunities for geography learning inside and outside the classroom, including visiting experts to enhance the learning experience.

The local area is fully utilised through local area studies and, for example, orienteering within the school grounds. School trips further afield and residentials provide additional opportunities to practice geographical and fieldwork skills and enhance children’s understanding of the world beyond their locality.

Geographical information and findings will be communicated in a variety of creative ways. Challenge questions for pupils to apply their learning in a philosophical/open manner. Appropriate curriculum-themed home learning tasks, which children complete with adults at home. Global links with primary schools in both the UK and different parts of the world

Impact

Our Geography curriculum is planned to demonstrate skills, knowledge and vocabulary progression to ensure age related attainment at the end of each Key Stage. Upon completion of each unit teachers will assess children against the progression of skills and knowledge document. Each project’s clear structure allows pupils to demonstrate:

· Locational knowledge

· Place knowledge

· Human and physical geography

· Geographical skills and fieldwork

Topics are mapped out carefully so that children develop their knowledge and understanding progressively as they move through the school with a focus on physical and Human history.

At Summerside, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

· Assessing children’s understanding of the topic before and after the unit is taught

· Summative assessment of pupil discussions about their learning

· Images of the children’s practical learning

· Double page spread at the end of each Geography topic which support the teacher’s assessment of the children’s understanding of the topic

· Marking of written work in books

· Interviewing pupils about their learning (pupil voice)

· Moderation where pupils’ books are scrutinised, and feedback is given to teachers for them to reflect on the work of their class and year group

· Reporting of standards across the curriculum.