Geography

A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils with a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should equip them with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth's key physical and human processes.

As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should enable them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes and of the formation of environments and landscapes. Geographical knowledge, approach and understanding of skills will provide a framework that explain how the Earth's features are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

Through the teaching of geography, we aim to give pupils the skills to communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including map work, quantitative skills and writing at length.’

National Curriculum 2014

Overview of Geography across the school

Foundation Stage

Show interest in different occupations and ways of life.

Comment and ask questions about places and the natural world.

Talk about things such as plants, animals and natural objects.

Show care for the environment

Year 1

Learn about the UK: identify characteristics of four countries and capital cities

Start to use maps, atlases and globes and simple compass directions and geographical vocabulary

Devise a simple map and use symbols in a key

Place knowledge of local area and school ground

Year 2

Name and locate the seven continents and oceans

The human and physical geography of a small area in the UK and non-European country (currently Kenya)

Weather patterns in the UK and the location of hot and cold areas of the world

Use world maps, atlases and globes and aerial photographs

Year 3

Learn about the UK: identify counties and their major cities

Computer mapping and ordnance survey

Eight point compass and four and six figure grid references for mapping

Local fieldwork about settlements

Year 4

Study of Europe and a region within Europe (currently France)

Learn about European trade links and the European Union

Formation of rivers and the water cycle (link to Science)

Focus study on European Rivers

Use of statistical data (link to Computing)

Year 5

Study of North America and Central America (link to history – The Mayans)

Study of biomes, volcanoes and earthquakes

Learn about latitude, longitude, hemispheres, tropics (link to Science)

Investigate Prime/Greenwich meridian and time zones

Year 6

Study of South America

Focused study of Brazil

Mountains – physical features and locational knowledge

In year 4 the children learn how to use a compass and orienteering skills to find their way around the playground, whilst collecting and naming flags from around the world.