GEOGRAPHY at St Martin's
Intent
At St. Martin’s, we believe that Geography helps to develop the children’s curiosity, questioning and fascination about the world and its people. We intend to equip the children at St. Martin’s with geographical skills to develop their knowledge through studying places, people and natural and human environments. The children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place within it. The Geography curriculum at St Martin’s Primary school enables children to develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
The curriculum is designed to ensure that teaching equips children 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 through the school, their developing knowledge about the world will help them to express well balanced opinions and deepen their understanding about current issues in society and the environment.
Understanding both human and physical geography will enable our children to have a more comprehensive understanding about themselves and the wider society in which they live, as they grow up to be caring, responsible adults who can influence the future of our planet.
Implementation
In order to develop the children’s curiosity about the world, we as their teachers are enthusiastic about Geography and encourage the children to ask questions about what they are learning, alongside answering key questions. Children learn Geographical skills through practical activities, school trips, discussions, debates, observational activities and written activities. We use the National Curriculum to set objectives and key questions for each topic, which are recorded on a Learning Organiser. The children have an opportunity at the beginning of each topic to ask what they would like to find out, and these questions are used alongside key questions tailored from the National Curriculum to meet their needs and interests of each topic. Geography is taught through a Termly topic which is linked with History elements. The children at St. Martin’s will be aware when they are learning a History skill or a Geography skill due to the WALT at the start of each session. The children will not see Geography and History as the same learning, instead recognise how they are different but also how they can unite in their learning.
The children will have a History and Geography book where their learning will be documented, and travel with the children through the year groups. Key questions and vocabulary are present at the start of each topic in their books, where assessments can be made by the class teacher in present topics, alongside assessing the children’s understanding in previous learning. Teachers also use the knowledge and skills progression map, where assessments of the children’s understanding can be monitored and passed on to the next teacher.
The Geography learning organisers show progression in locations knowledge, place knowledge, human and physical Geography and Geographical skills and fieldwork. Where children struggled in these areas, they will be recapped in the following year.