GEOGRAPHY RATIONALE

“We liked finding out about different countries and continents. I liked using clues to find out where she was, and we liked the atlases – they were fun.”

“Geography is learning about the world, like cities, states and weather.  We are excited about learning more about different countries around the world.”

Pupil Voice

Intent: Why Do We Teach What We Teach? 

The United Curriculum for Geography provides all children, regardless of their background, with:

Substantive Knowledge 

• Gradual Knowledge Building: Relevant and coherent knowledge of the world is built progressively from EYFS to Year 6 and beyond. 

• Three Geographical Concepts: 

• Space and Place: Understanding space through location, distribution, pattern, and distance. Developing a sense of place and character through identity, home, community, landscapes, and diversity with global case studies. 

• Physical Processes: Learning how Earth's natural processes shape and change its surface, covering geology, Earth science, and environmental science aspects, such as weather and climate change. These concepts are also threaded through the science curriculum. 

• Human Processes: Understanding processes related to people, including resource use, population and community changes, and features of economy and development. 

• Balanced Global View: Providing a balanced view of the countries of the world to address or prevent misconceptions and negative stereotypes. 

• Disciplinary Knowledge: Explicit teaching of core geographical skills and the ability to approach challenging, valid questions through geographical enquiry, making links to relevant mathematics and science knowledge. 

• Fieldwork Opportunities: Undertaking purposeful fieldwork, both outside the classroom and virtually, to practice relevant skills or reinforce knowledge. 

Strands of the United Curriculum for Geography 

Substantive Knowledge (Conceptual and Procedural) 

• Conceptual Knowledge: Core geographical facts, such as understanding that biomes are large ecosystems with specific species. 

• Procedural Knowledge: Skills of being a geographer, such as using different types of maps or interpreting and constructing graphs.

Disciplinary Knowledge 

• Geographical Enquiry Skills: Organised to cover enquiry and fieldwork, making comparisons, interconnections, and forming judgements. 

Vertical Concepts 

• Abstract Ideas: Building gradually with increasing depth across various contexts as children progress through the curriculum. 

Geography in Context 

Geography is taught in 4 lesson units, once a term, alternating with history. The curriculum is sequenced to make meaningful links between subjects, allowing connections to be made. For example, children learn about Viking migration in history to build on their understanding of migration in geography. 

Local Adaptations 

• Year 1: Learning about maps and plans, locating the school within the local area, and devising a route to school using key local features. 

• Year 2: Extending local geography knowledge through fieldwork on community-relevant issues. 

• Year 3: Using OS maps to identify human and physical features of the local area. 

• Year 5: Addressing fair trade and the availability of imported food using locational knowledge.  

• Year 6: Undertaking a neighbourhood environmental investigation and an inquiry of the pupil's choice within the locality. 

• High-quality teaching incorporates rich and varied discussions about the children's knowledge and experiences to provide depth to their geographical learning. 

IMPLEMENTATION: WHAT DO WE TEACH AND WHEN?

Structured Content

• Building on Schemas: Content is methodically built on over time. For example, map skills start in the early years with identifying local features, progress to using directional vocabulary in KS1, and develop further through the use of map symbols, scale and grid references in KS2.

Using Vertical Concepts

• Connecting Learning: Vertical concepts are woven throughout the curriculum to help children make meaningful links between different areas of geography. For example, understanding migration helps children explore population change, settlement patterns, resource distribution and the reasons why people move.

Extended Writing

• Writing as Geographers: Children are provided with opportunities to write as geographers for a range of purposes and audiences. Through discussion, debate and scholarly writing, they communicate geographical understanding, justify viewpoints and apply their knowledge to real-world issues, such as evaluating the hazards and benefits of living near a volcano.

IMPACT: HOW DO CHILDREN SHOW THAT THEY KNOW AND REMEMBER MORE?

Measuring Progress

The progression model is built upon the careful sequencing of knowledge and skills over time. As children successfully build upon prior learning and make connections between concepts, they develop a deeper and more secure understanding of geography. If children are keeping up with the curriculum, they are making progress.

Formative Assessment

• Lesson Questioning: Teachers use targeted questioning throughout lessons to assess understanding, identify misconceptions and address gaps in learning.

• Pupil Conferencing: Subject leaders and senior leaders speak with children about their learning, exploring both substantive and disciplinary knowledge and discussing how current learning connects to previously taught concepts, other subjects and wider geographical themes.

• Post-Learning Quizzes: End-of-unit quizzes assess knowledge retention, reinforce key learning and identify any remaining gaps that may require further teaching or retrieval practice.

• Retrieval Questions: Regular retrieval questions provide opportunities for children to revisit previously taught knowledge, strengthen long-term memory and make links between past and current learning. They help teachers assess retention, address misconceptions and ensure pupils are ready to build upon secure foundations of understanding.

By maintaining a carefully sequenced curriculum and using effective assessment strategies, we aim to ensure that children continually build upon their geographical knowledge, skills and understanding, becoming confident, knowledgeable and inquisitive geographers.