St Oswald's Catholic Primary SchoolGeography
Intent
Geography is taught both as a discrete subject using the national curriculum programme of study and as part of a rich curriculum, making links with computing, art, science and maths. The children are encouraged to learn about their immediate environment extending from Lancashire – the North West – the British Isles – Europe and the rest of the world as outlined in the National Curriculum. They are taught to develop the skills they need both to collect and to present geographical information, particularly skills involving maps and atlases. The Early Years Framework is the foundation for these skills.
Implementation
Geography at St Oswald's is taught in blocks throughout the year, so that children can achieve depth in their learning. Teachers identify the key knowledge and skills of each blocked topic ensuring that knowledge builds progressively and that children develop skills systematically. Existing knowledge is checked at the beginning of each topic ensuring that teaching is informed by the children’s starting points and that it takes account of pupil voice, incorporating children’s interests.
Cross curricular outcomes in geography are specifically planned for and these are indicated on the whole school Skills Progression Map. The Geography provision is also well resourced and specific resources are mapped to specific year groups and topics to support effective teaching and learning. The local area and school grounds are fully utilised to achieve the desired outcomes, with extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice.
Impact
As children progress throughout the school, they develop a deep knowledge, understanding and appreciation of their local area and its place within the wider geographical context. Our broad and balanced geography curriculum ensures children can demonstrate their acquisition of identified key knowledge and skills in fieldword, locational knowledge, place knowledge and human and physical geography. All children leave St Oswald’s equipped with the enthusiasm, motivation, knowledge and skills to take full advantage of the Geography curriculum at KS3 and beyond.
Galleries
EYFS - Understanding the world: mapping, comparing different countries, caring for our world.
EYFS - Understanding the World: Exploring and using nature.
Year 1 - Using a range of maps to locate China in celebration of Chinese New Year.
Year 1 - Mapping: Drawing a simple map.
Year 2 - Mapping: Using a range of maps including electronic maps to learn about the world.
Year 2 - Mapping: Locating countries and cities on a map.
Year 3 - Fieldwork: Orienteering (making links between features observed on maps and those in the environment)
Year 3 - Human and physical geography: using different maps to identify features of the local area.
Year 3 - Mapping: Using a range of maps at different scales.
Year 4 - Understanding key aspects of the water cycle on their trip to Formby Coast.
Year 4 - Investigating climate change and glaciers.
Year 4 - Fieldwork: Observing the environment and making simple route maps.
Year 5 Mapping - locating countries on a world map focussing on Europe
Year 5 - Mapping: OS symbols and the UK.
Year 6 - Human and physical geography: researching mountains.
Links
Geographical Information Systems GIS
BBC Radio 4 Great Lives, contains many geographers and explorers
Royal Geographical Society with IBG