Statement of Curriculum Intent – Geography
The Big Ideas / Key Concepts for Geography are:
- Knowledge of Geography
- Geographical skills
- Human and Physical Geography
- Fieldwork
The overarching aim of the Geography at Duxford C of E Community Primary School is to equip learners with the necessary skills, techniques and knowledge in order to understand, interact, question and explore their surroundings both near and far. Learners will be able to ask questions and understand how to find answers. Relationships and comparisons will be made to other areas unfamiliar to them.
Our aim is that children leave this school:
- With a knowledge of the joy and thought that Geography can provoke, and how environments can be different for different individuals.
- As questioning learners, who have confidence to find answers of why.
- Experienced, proficient and safe when using a range of geographical tools.
- Equipped with the knowledge of what they need to do in order to further improve their Geography abilities.
- Confident and fluent when using the language of Geography. Knowing what distinct differences there are between specific vocabulary and their characteristics.
- With a secure knowledge of geographical features of different areas of the world.
- To explore relationships between human physical Geography.
- To compare and contrast geographical locations both near and far.
- Able to work collaboratively on tasks where such opportunities arise.
The curriculum coverage ensures this by:
- Using a holistic approach that builds on prior learning and the needs of the individual child.
- Focusing upon the four key concepts (as outlined above).
- Allowing scope for a variety of practical activities.
- Revisiting and building upon prior learning experiences.
- Allowing learners the opportunity to question.
- Providing open-ended learning experiences where appropriate, to encourage learner’s exploration.
- Introducing learners to areas around the world, including their environments and culture.
- Making links with the school, local and wider community wherever possible.
Teaching should ensure that there is a regular review of prior learning at the start of each lesson. Key vocabulary should be actively taught and definitions learned by children and these should be displayed in the classroom. Lessons should be planned so that children learn important information in a logical sequence and that lessons are learning not ‘doing’. Teaching should be supported by trips, visits and real experiences wherever possible and these should be placed towards the middle/end of the teaching sequence, once knowledge has been learned. Wherever possible, children should be facilitated to see real examples of what they are learning about, and if this is not possible, video, audio clips, photographs and drawings should be used.
Progression through the subject is planned to ensure that the content of the National Curriculum is taught in a logical way that builds on previous knowledge and skills.
Curriculum progression is as follows: See subject curriculum implementation.
We ensure that this curriculum links with other areas of curriculum by providing experiences and opportunities that both support and develop knowledge, language and skills.
