Geography
Geography at St Edmund's School
At Saint Edmund’s Primary School the aim of teaching geography is to inspire children’s curiosity and interest to explore the world that we live in and its people. We want to equip children with the geographical skills to develop their knowledge through studying places, people and natural and human environments. We will encourage children to investigate, explore, ask questions and find their own answers in order to gain a greater understanding and knowledge of the world and their place in it.
How is geography taught?
At St Edmund’s Primary School we teach the skills and knowledge as set out in the National Curriculum for geography, supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression. This ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children. Geography is taught through a skills based topic approach, which aims to provide a balanced, interesting and varied curriculum. The skills and content are set out in each year group’s yearly curriculum overviews, these are available on the school website. Geography is taught by class teachers through a combination of whole class teaching, group work, paired work and individual work. Children with additional needs are provided with appropriate support to enable them to take part in lessons and to develop their geographical skills and knowledge.
Each class has a long-term plan with two to three geography topics and two to three history topics which are to be covered over the year. Geography will be linked into some history topics, where appropriate, to develop children’s knowledge and understanding. Teachers are encouraged to consider opportunities available to use the school grounds and the local area for fieldwork to enable children to base their learning on first hand experiences to enhance teaching and learning in geography.
What do we want children to gain from geography?
We want children to…
- Have developed the geographical knowledge, skills and vocabulary to help them explore, navigate and understand the world around them and their place in it.
- Understand ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected and how much human and physical environments are interrelated.
- Have 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.
- Show originality, imagination or creativity as shown in interpretations and representations of the subject matter.
- Show a real sense of curiosity to find out about the world and the people who live there.
- Be prepared to become competent geographers in secondary school.
What do we want children to gain from geography?
We want children to…
- Have developed the geographical knowledge, skills and vocabulary to help them explore, navigate and understand the world around them and their place in it.
- Understand ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected and how much human and physical environments are interrelated.
- Have 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.
- Show originality, imagination or creativity as shown in interpretations and representations of the subject matter.
- Show a real sense of curiosity to find out about the world and the people who live there.
- Be prepared to become competent geographers in secondary school.
