Geography
Our Values driven curriculum, creates an enabling ethos where our values shape the sense of who we are. In our teaching of geography, we help pupils to ‘think geographically’. The values of appreciation, curiosity, global responsibility, respect, justice, tolerance and wonder help pupils think of themselves as global citizens who are globally and environmentally aware and are thoughtful, enquiring inhabitants of our earth, equipped to see the world with ethical objectivity.
Geography helps us to understand how interconnected and interdependent the world is, and how connected we are to it. It allows us to explore moral and ethical dilemmas and can empower pupils to become agents of change in regards to our world’s sustainability.
Through the teaching of geography, we aim to inspire in pupils a lifelong curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. The children will develop contextual knowledge of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments both globally and locally, including their defining physical and human characteristics. They will develop the skills needed to analyse data and interpret and communicate geographical information. They will learn to question how humans have affected the environment and how the environment has affected the lives of people. Pupils will develop an understanding of global, national and local locations. A key feature of the geography curriculum at Marton cum Grafton Primary School is understanding the impact of humanity on the environment. These themes will run through the curriculum in all geographical topics.
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.
We use the Elevate curriculum progression documents to teach the National Curriculum. This ensure that skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children. Existing knowledge is checked at the start of each new unit of work. This ensure that teaching is informed by the children's starting points and takes account of pupil voice. Lesson content and tasks are designed to provide appropriate challenge to all learners, in line with our commitment to inclusion.
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. School trips and fieldwork are provided to give first-hand experiences, which enhance children's understanding of the world beyond their locality.
EYFS
The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children’s understanding of geography, people and communities through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding the World’. Geography is effectively taught through their wider curriculum lessons and through their enhanced learning provision and environment. Children learn about features of their own environment such as school, home, community and their city through first-hand experiences and learn how environments may differ through the sharing of books, stories, poems, small world play, role play and visits. Children enjoy the valuable experiences gained from our regular trips to places within their local community. Children are given time to discuss, comment and ask questions about what they observe about the world around them and are encouraged to be active learners and explore their interests further.
By the time pupils leave Marton cum Grafton Primary School 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 reasoned arguments to explain findings.
- Have significant levels of originality, imagination or creativity as shown in interpretations and representations of subject matter.
- Have highly developed and 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.