Geography

We aim to create a firm foundation for a lifetime of learning by teaching the children about the world around them, the natural world and how humans are leaving their mark on the planet.

Where in the World

Pupils will know where those parts of the world that are important to them are. They will be able to locate these places on maps and will know which continent they are in.

It is important for our pupils to have this knowledge of places.

Our school is proud to welcome pupils, families and staff from all over the world as well as having very well travelled pupils. It is important for them to have a good idea about where in the world their friends come from or have been

Place Knowledge

‘Knowing where’s where’ is a key aspect of the curriculum. In building pupils’ locational knowledge, teachers recognise that this not only helps pupils to identify specific features but also to:

- Build their own identity and develop their sense of place.

- Develop an appreciation of distance and scale and learn about the orientation of the world.

- Find points of reference, such as the continents and oceans that they can navigate from.

Physical Geography

Through the study of a range of spaces and places, pupils describe their own and others’ environments, recognise the similarities and differences between the world around them and contrasting environments, understand important processes and changes in the world around them, including those affecting the land, bodies of water and the air, people, and wildlife.

Pupils understand how human and physical processes interact to influence and change landscapes, environments and the climate, as well as how human activity relies on the effective functioning of natural systems.

Human Geography

We aim to engage pupils through imaginative and creative ways to approach geographical enquiry which will allow the Pupils to think geographically.

Pupils will be given the opportunity to come up with questions, lines of enquiry and will be equipped with the skills to be able to answer those questions.

The Pupils will have challenging conversations and will be forced to think about difficult circumstances facing the world. They will be asked to give their opinion and also to find merit in converse opinions.

Geographical Skills (inc. map skills)

Pupils will be equipped with the ability to address their geographical enquiries by focusing on a range of skills taught to them. These skills include the ability to use data gathered through various pieces of field work.

Pupils will be taught to make and use maps, looking at both the local area and maps of the world.

They will have their interest sparked in different places, both locally and around the world. They will understand that they are global citizens and our curriculum will foster a fascination with the world.

Local Geography and Field Work

We are proud to be a school based in Wimbledon and we are very proud of our local area. Each year group has a geographical link to the local area and it is our aim to make the most of our locality through the experiential learning of our Pupils.

Our Pupils feel part of a local community, despite many coming from all over the world, and are proud to be members of our local school community.

Where possible, year groups get outside into their local environment and apply taught Geographical Skills.

Geography Curriculum Approach

The key NC strands in Geography, the EYFS framework and Development Matters have informed our schemas and our curriculum planning, leading to a direct impact on children's learning as evidenced in their learning journals.

At our curriculum's core, are the inclusion of regular activities that focus strongly on developing pupils’ core knowledge in geography, particularly their sense of place.

Developing a sense of place involves children engaging with a range of learning games, debates, discussions and free play focusing on a mixture of facts, perceptions and feelings. This style of learning aims to elicit children's current knowledge, perceptions and ideas and show them the value of what they already know, before developing these further. This approach enables pupils to regularly experience success in their geography learning and break the perception that geography is simply about a learner's ability to regurgitate facts and place names.

To support this aim, an understanding of the fact that pupils', whose learning was outstanding, were very familiar with their own locality and were able to make connections between their lives and those of people living in contrasting localities. (Ofsted 2011)

Teachers are guided towards ensuring they deliver geography knowledge and skills through 'hands-on,' formative learning experiences in real contexts, such as the school building, grounds and immediate locality.

The schemas that the curriculum is built around are repeated and then added to in future learning. Skills/procedural knowledge follows a planned progression.

To improve the diversity, equality and therefore quality of our Geography curriculum, we have consulted with the Black Curriculum, who have made suggestions about how we might cover a diverse and representative range of ideas.

SEND pupils' access to the full Geography curriculum is ensured by class teachers' consideration during planning and teaching, alongside consultation with support staff. An essential consideration is that SEND pupils access all activities that gear towards developing a sense of place. Further details on the SEND/Vulnerable page.