Geography

Subject Lead by: Miss Foster

The Nature of Geography

Geography inspires pupils to develop a lifelong curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. A high-quality geography education equips children with knowledge of diverse places, people, resources, and natural and human environments, along with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.

As pupils progress, their growing geographical knowledge helps them deepen their understanding of the interactions between human and physical processes, the formation and use of landscapes and environments, and how Earth's features at different scales are shaped, interconnected, and change over time.

Curriculum Intent

We believe that teaching geography provides children with a better understanding of their immediate environment, the wider United Kingdom, and the world beyond. It encourages children to develop both local and global awareness, and to appreciate diversity in cultures, communities, and environments.

Our geography curriculum is designed to:

• Stimulate enthusiasm, interest, and curiosity about the local and global environment

• Enable children to develop a secure sense of place, understanding where they are in relation to their country and the wider world

• Cultivate a sense of wonder and imagination about the natural and physical world

• Foster a sense of responsibility and care for the planet, its people, and its future

• Encourage sustainable thinking and global citizenship

• Increase children’s awareness of how human actions impact physical and natural environments

• Develop spatial awareness, including map and fieldwork skills

• Support children in acquiring a range of geographical skills, including:

  • Enquiry

  • Investigation

  • ICT and digital mapping

  • Data collection and analysis

  • Presenting conclusions in appropriate formats

Curriculum Implementation

To deliver a high-quality geography education, we ensure that:

• The geography curriculum is well-sequenced, with clear progression and defined end points

• Knowledge is built over time, and learning is broken into clear, manageable components to help children know more and remember more

• Lessons are carefully planned to develop:

  • Substantive knowledge – the content and facts about places, environments, and processes

  • Disciplinary knowledge – how geographers think, work, and investigate the world

• Pedagogical choices are based on children's levels of expertise, ensuring they are supported when new skills are introduced and challenged as they progress

• Learning activities are purposeful, engaging, and increase in complexity and independence over time

• Teachers guide children’s focus on key geographical themes and concepts, such as:

  • Place

  • Space

  • Environment

  • Scale

  • Interdependence

  • Physical and human processes

• Subject-specific vocabulary is planned and taught to help children develop the language they need to describe and explain geographical ideas

• Fieldwork and educational visits are enriched with sufficient prior knowledge to make these experiences meaningful and memorable

• SEND pupils receive well-considered, subject-specific adaptations—supporting inclusion without lowering expectations

• The curriculum also supports social development, encouraging collaboration, communication, and negotiation as children explore geographical ideas together

Please click the links below to access key Geography documents: