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Geography and the Environment
Geography is taught through an exciting and ambitious, knowledge based curriculum which meets the aims of the National Curriculum and enables our children to become ‘geographers’ as they make sense of the world around them. Equally, they develop a fascination about the world, exploring the relationship between Earth and its people. Environmental education is embedded within Geography and cross curricular learning. We believe that environmental education helps to foster caring responsible attitudes, which can inspire young people to take action and to live more sustainably, preparing for a rapidly changing planet. Our progressive curriculum covers locational knowledge, human and physical geography and fieldwork, building on geographical skills such as observing, recording, interpreting, explaining and empathising. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments.
In the early years the children learn about their immediate surrounding environment and develop locational and place knowledge of the UK. This learning is continually embedded through the years, as their learning progresses to knowledge about many other countries around the world. Within a geography unit there are opportunities to compare and contrast small areas of a country, considering human and physical features, which consolidates learning and highlights our diverse landscapes. For example, this could be comparing two rivers from source to sea, in different parts of the world. Mapping skills are developed from simple maps to Ordnance Survey maps and digital mapping skills. Children study units about the North and South Pole, Australia, the rainforest, natural disasters, mountains, rivers and coasts and trade. The progressive curriculum, allows generative learning as children revise and build on previous learning.
Fieldwork
Fieldwork is an essential element of geography and our curriculum enables all children to engage with their local environment. In Key Stage 1 the children use mapping skills as they visit the local area and collect data about housing. The traffic survey in Year 3 enables the children to gather data and consider their local community and the impact of transport within the area. Learning about a local river in Year 5 is enhanced through a trip to Dartmoor. Further fieldtrips include a visit to our local harbour and The Hoe, as well as The Eden Project. We recognize the importance of ensuring our children experience and learn about their local community, as well as how to respect and care for it.
