Geography

Geography

“Geography is a living, breathing subject, constantly adapting itself to change. It is dynamic and relevant. For me geography is a great adventure with a purpose. Geography is a subject which holds the key to our future.”

Michael Palin

Studying geography will inspire in pupils a lifelong curiosity and fascination about the world and its people and equip our pupils to take an active and informed part in shaping their world. We know that from an early age children are curious and aware of the environment around them. At Willow Tree we want to harness this enthusiasm and ensure it is based on sound geographical understanding and reasoning. It is our intent that our school’s geography curriculum does the following:

  • Develops pupils’ knowledge of the location of different places including their physical and human characteristics.
  • Enables children to understand how the Earth’s features are shaped, the processes that give rise to key physical and human features of the world and how they change over time.
  • Helps pupils to acquire a wide range of geographical knowledge and skills to enable them to understand the relationship between Earth and its people.
  • Helps pupils to develop an appreciation of the how and why human actions change the environment locally, nationally and globally.
  • Encourages pupils to think in new ways about their own contexts and the world.
  • Develops the geographical skills needed to collect and analyse information gathered through first hand experiences of the environment and to carry out geographical  enquiries.
  • Gives pupils access to discussions and debates about local, national and global events, concerns and issues and develop their own values and opinions.

In the Early Years, the curriculum area of ‘Understanding the World’ is how our children first begin to learn about geography, the world around them and their place in it. Through each topic in Nursery and Reception, we aim to teach the children about people, culture and communities and the natural world through hands on play opportunities, stories and activities. 

As children move into Key Stage 1 and 2, they will explore a new geography topic every term, covering a wide and interesting range of learning based on the National Curriculum. From Year 1 to Year 6 the scope of each unit increases, expanding from the pupils’ own environment to the wider world. Place studies start local and increase in scale to regional, national and global, allowing for revisiting, developing and challenging ideas and concepts. Building on previous skills and knowledge by revisiting learning and making links is how our pupils will become confident and skilled geographers.

Geography will be interesting, relevant and fun and it will inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. It will increase their knowledge and understanding of the world and it will be used to help them to become aware of how they can shape and impact the world they live in. It will be linked with other subjects and it will have a strong presence in the ethos of the school through art, displays and assemblies. We hope pupils leave us with the necessary knowledge and skills for their future to empower them to take their role as informed and active citizens in the 21st century.

Geography Subject Content - Key Stage 1

Pupils should develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They should understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.

Pupils should be taught to:

Locational knowledge

  • name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans
  • name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas

Place knowledge

  • understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the United Kingdom, and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country

Human and physical geography

  • identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles
  • use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to: key physical features, including: beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather
  • use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to: key human features, including: city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour and shop

Geographical skills and fieldwork

  • use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage
  • use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map
  • use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key
  • use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment.

Geography Subject Content - Key Stage 2

Pupils should extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They should develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge.

Pupils should be taught to:

Locational knowledge

  • locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities
  • name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time
  • identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)

Place knowledge

  • understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region within North or South America

Human and physical geography

  • describe and understand key aspects of: physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle
  • human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water 

Geographical skills and fieldwork

  • use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
  • use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world
  • use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies. 
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