Our Geography curriculum teaches children about physical, human and environmental factors which effect local, national, international and global communities and environments. Children are taught through geographical enquiry the conceptual knowledge to recognise, evaluate, analyse and make recommendations based upon geographical knowledge and understanding whilst developing respect for different ways of life and cultures.
The Geography curriculum at Gawthorpe aims to support pupils’ acquisition of knowledge and skills. Our over-arching enquiry focus for each unit of work allows the children to develop key and sticky knowledge which is placed into their long-term memory to be applied to their later learning. Enquiry-based learning demands pupils to be inquisitive and to raise their own questions as well as answer them.
Pupils have an understanding of the wider world. They generate and answer geographical questions, locate places, identify geographical similarities and differences, carry out field work, be able to explain physical geographical processes and human impact using geographical vocabulary. Geography allows pupils to understand how other people from different countries and cultures live and how physical processes can transform places over time. Children are exposed to a progressive curriculum driven by the National Curriculum and Learning Challenge Curriculum. Early Years Outcomes are planned and delivered using Chris Quigley Early Years Key Objectives.
The Geography curriculum is led by a subject leader who supports staff to implement the Focus Learning Challenge Curriculum. In lessons, you will see whole class teaching, group work and individual choice to promote learning. Children practise their skills (including map skills to develop a sense of place) and are supported through modelling. Teaching encourages children to use subject specific vocabulary through discussion, research and reading and is displayed in the learning environment. A range of resources support the learning of both human and environmental geography: photographs, books and videos. Children are encouraged to make comparisons between culture, way of life, the impact of human activity and physical features. Learning outside of the classroom (educational visits and fieldwork) enhance the learning of geography and allow children to observe, measure and record and use a range of skills. Formative assessment is used to inform next steps, check understanding and inform current attainment.
Children have the knowledge and skills to begin to work like geographers. They make sustained progress across the subject and have and use experience of a range of field work. Children have a sense of place with locational knowledge of the world, its environment and how human and physical factors lead to changes over time.
