Geography
Curriculum Design at St. Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary Academy
Curriculum Area: Geography
Geography Primary Leaders: Mrs. Cunliffe and Mrs. Cunningham
Geography Supporting Leader: Mrs. Mcandrews and Mrs. Lochrie
Curriculum Link Governor: Mrs. Smith
Intent
Geography is an integral part of our curriculum at St. Wilfrid’s and we aim to motivate and inspire children through cross-curricular learning that engages and challenges all learners. We aim to develop a curiosity and fascination about the world that the children live in and help them to enjoy learning about different global communities and their relationships between these people and their landscapes. Through our curriculum, equip children to be Global Citizens: to develop an awareness of the wider world and their place within it, encourage them to take an active role in the community and work with others to make our planet more peaceful, sustainable and fairer. We hope that our children will become passionate about the planet and become actively involved in protecting the environment.
Our Geography curriculum is designed to deepen knowledge and develop key skills. We aim to ensure effective progression within each geography unit and across all year groups. Our Christian Values and distinctiveness, alongside our School Mission Statement of ‘Achieve, Believe and Care’, are at the core of our curriculum and all that we do at St. Wilfrid’s.
Implementation
In Geography, we implement an inclusive curriculum that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum, incorporating the four main areas of learning at each key stage: place, location, human and physical and geographical skills and fieldwork.
Our curriculum is well-planned and provides literacy-rich, cross-curricular opportunities providing sophisticated links to provide effective links across subjects to ensure cohesion across the whole curriculum. It is predominantly taught through overarching themes such as Remarkable Rainforest.
At the beginning of each Geography unit, children demonstrate their prior knowledge, which helps to inform planning and teaching. A series of stimulating lessons are planned, with clear knowledge and skills-based learning objectives and subject-specific vocabulary. Post learning tasks are planned to demonstrate progress, knowledge and understanding. Teachers assess learning in geography against knowledge and skills-based learning objectives within unit overviews.
Our curriculum is delivered through highly effective ‘quality first teaching’ using a range of schemes and resources, such as and Digimaps. Enrichment opportunities, including outdoor learning, inspirational visitors and Geography fieldtrips, provide our children with rich experiences and enhance teaching, learning and knowledge.
Our Geography curriculum promotes children’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development, ensuring that they are reflective and responsible citizens. Fundamental British Values are actively promoted in geography lessons in order to prepare the children for life in Modern Britain.
Impact
Our well-planned Geography curriculum ensures that children are competent in the geographical skills needed to collect, analyse and communicate data, and to interpret a range of geographical sources, including maps, globes and aerial photographs. Children are able to communicate information in a variety of ways including maps, numerical and quantitative skills and a range of literacy skills.
Through the breadth and depth that our Geography curriculum offers, our children are provided with a broad knowledge of the world they live in, and understand, as responsible citizens, how they need to care and preserve the planet for future generations.