Geography Statement
‘With joyful hearts, we love, learn and praise as the family of God’
Intent
At Sacred Heart we believe that Geography helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. Children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. The geography curriculum at Sacred Heart enables children to develop key knowledge and skills which are used to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
Geography is, by nature, an investigative subject, which develops an understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. We seek to inspire curiosity and fascination about the world and its people which will remain with pupils for the rest of their lives; to promote the children’s interest and understanding of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. The curriculum is designed to develop knowledge and skills that are progressive, as well as transferable, throughout their time at Sacred Heart and also to their further education and beyond.
Implementation
Please click here to see the Long Term Plan for this year.
In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in geography, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. Geography is taught as part of a half-termly topic, focusing on knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum. At the beginning of each topic, children are able to convey what they know already as well as what they would like to find out.
Our Geography curriculum has been designed to consider the context of our school and the locality of our pupils. We aim to counteract the effects of deprivation, whilst giving pupils the knowledge, skills and cultural capital they need to succeed.
Beginning in Early Years, children discuss their familiar world, such as where they live or the natural world. From Key Stage 1, the Geography curriculum at Sacred Heart is designed outwardly, giving children a firm grasp of key geographical features of their local area. Following this, children in Key Stage 2 will compare their local area to other areas of the United Kingdom, other European countries and finally countries in other continents.
We seek to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about their local area and the wider world and its people. We endeavour to promote the children’s interest and understanding of a range of people, places, and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical processes.
Impact
The skills we aim to equip our pupils with through our geography curriculum will be transferable to many other parts of the curriculum. The subject leader monitors the teaching and learning in geography throughout the year. This involves looking at the children’s work in books and lessons, the planning, staff and pupil voice.
Through our geography curriculum children will:
• Acquire and effectively use new vocabulary.
• Build skills that enable them to collect, analyse and interpret a range of data gathered from fieldwork.
• Interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information systems (GIS).
• Develop research, interpretation and presentation skills which can then be disseminated using ICT and Art and Design mediums.
Taking guidance from the Geographical Association, our curriculum is planned with ongoing formative assessment of progress in mind. Teachers engage pupils in continuous dialogue and ‘listen in’ to pupils’ geographical conversations during activities. Each child is given a progress ladder against which they demonstrate their skills. We aim to ensure that children at Sacred Heart are prepared with geographical skills and knowledge that will enable them to be ready for the next step of their education and for life as an adult in the wider world. We want the children to have thoroughly enjoyed learning about geography, therefore encouraging them to undertake new life experiences now and in the future.