Geography Curriculum Statement

Geography is the study of places and the relationships between people and their environments. Geographers explore both the physical properties of Earth's surface and the human societies spread across it.

Intent

Our curriculum reflects our school values. We aim to instil respect for the environment and to the world that we live in, encouraging children to take responsibility for their actions. The children will be challenged to have a greater understanding and knowledge of the world and their place in it, as well as recognising that they have a voice which they can use confidently to debate topics that they feel passionate about, for example, deforestation or renewable energy. 

All children will also be given the opportunity to take part in fieldwork activities to support their learning so that they are confident with geographical knowledge of their local environment.  The children will be encouraged to think creatively about how they can improve their local and the wider environment.

Implementation

Our geography curriculum is blocked throughout the year as part of a connected approach with science, history, design technology and art. It is clearly identified where it is the focus subject within curriculum units. This is to enable an in-depth study of the subject, whilst making connections with other subjects.

In our curriculum, we have areas of knowledge that we revisit each year.  The children will become confident in using their geographical skills to undertake fieldwork; to understand their location; to describe human and physical features of the environment and to understand their place in the world as global citizens.

We build in opportunities for fieldwork as the school’s locality is rich in opportunities for this.  When it is not possible to visit places (another country for example!) we use technology to explore the world.  Google Earth is a wonderful resource that the children never fail to enjoy!

Impact

At Edgebury, we encourage all children to enjoy Geography and broaden their horizons.  By the end of Year 6, children will understand the part of the world in which they live.  They will have a broad understanding of how their locality sits within the country, the continent and the world.  We aim to teach them to think like geographers, to be able to look at the world and to think how the processes of this planet have made the world that we live in today.  We want children to be lost in the wonder at this beautiful place we live in.

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 ‘You can travel the seas, poles and deserts and see nothing. 

To really understand the world, you need to get under the skin of the people and places.’

Michael Palin