Geography

Geography Intent

‘The curriculum is the means by which we ensure that all our children get their fair share of the rich cultural inheritance our world affords. A good curriculum empowers children with the knowledge they are entitled to: knowledge that will nourish both them and the society of which they are members’ – Clare Sealy

At Hapton School we have developed our curriculum in Geography to meet the needs of our children and to give them the gift of geographical knowledge, skills, attitudes and aspirations that they can take with them through life.

We will provide our children with irresistible learning experiences that allows them to see the awe and wonder in the world and to appreciate life in all its fullness. Our school values will permeate our teaching and learning in Geography. These will equip our children to achieve, be confident and successful, allowing them to grow into the best young person he or she is capable of becoming and ensure that each member of staff develops their full professional potential.

When teaching & learning in Geography we will fulfil our mission statement to provide a vibrant, caring, Christian environment with a happy, friendly and calm atmosphere in which children and staff can live and work together. To always aim for standards of excellence in teaching, learning and caring for each other.

When learning about our wonderful world, we want our school to be an extension of good family life and within our 'school family', each unique individual to be respected and valued.

We will meet the aims and requirements of the Early Years Statutory Framework and the Programmes of Study in the National Curriculum as outlined here:

EYFS Statutory Framework

The world: children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another.

The national curriculum for geography aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes
• understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time
•  are competent in the geographical skills needed to:
   collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes
• interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
• communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.

Key Stage 1 Pupils should develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They should understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.

Key Stage 1 pupils should be taught to:

Locational knowledge

• name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans & name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas

Place knowledge

• understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the United Kingdom, and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country

Human and physical geography

• identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles
• use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to:
  key physical features, including: beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather
• key human features, including: city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour and shop

Geographical skills and fieldwork

• use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage
• use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map

Geography – Key Stages 1 and 2

• use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key
• use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment

Key stage 2 Pupils

should extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They should develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge.

Pupils should be taught to:

Locational knowledge

• locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities
• name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time
• identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)

Place knowledge

• understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region within North or South America
  Human and physical geography
• describe and understand key aspects of:
  physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle
•  human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water

KS 1 & 2   Geographical skills and fieldwork

• use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
• use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world
• use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.

Implementation

We use our recently developed, clear, structured, coherent and personalised curriculum to ensure that we meet the breadth and ambition of the National Curriculum and  which also inspires and equips our children in geographical knowledge and skills. Our curriculum has been developed to meet the specific needs of our children at Hapton School. We use resources such as Digi – Map, field trips and community visits to enrich the curriculum. As a staff, we continue to develop our own knowledge and skills through whole school training and other means of CPD so that we are confident in knowing that we are delivering high quality teaching and learning in Geography

Impact

A love and passion for the subject of Geography will be evident in school by adults and children alike. Geography will be delivered through a clear, structured and coherent curriculum which meets the requirements of the EYFS and the NC but also fulfisl the needs of our children at Hapton School. The teaching of Geography in school will inspire and provide the children with knowledge, understanding and skills that stick with them and that they can take with them throughout their lives.

Our rolling programme is as follows:

Geography at Hapton – Rolling Programme Cycle A 2022 /2023

Geography at Hapton - Rolling Programme Cycle B 2023/2024

https://www.hapton.lancs.sch.uk/page/geography-aut-1-2023/140885