Curriculum Intent for Geography
At Scargill C of E Primary School, we believe that Geography helps to provoke and answer questions about the natural and human aspects of our wonderful world. Children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. Geography is, by nature, an investigative subject, which develops an understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. The enquiry based Geography curriculum at Scargill helps children develop a range of investigation and problem-solving skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and which can be used to promote children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
The curriculum is designed to promote children’s interest and understanding about diverse people, places, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.
We aim and seek to inspire curiosity, ignite fascination and foster passion in children about the world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives, equipping them with a strong foundational basis of knowledge and skills that can be built upon as they embark upon further education and beyond.
Ultimately, at Scargill, we want and intend our geographers to be EPIC:
Explorers and Enquirers
Passionate and Probing
Inspired and Inquisitive
Creative and Curious
Geography Summer Challenge Whole School Display
Geography Summer Challenge Whole School Display
Geography Summer Challenge
During the summer holidays, a Geography summer challenge was created to promote an interest in human and physical features of places we as a school had visited during our time off school and help instill a love for Geography and the components that makes our world wonderful. Children had to visit and record the different human and physical features that they found during their six weeks holiday, such as a beach, a mountain, a famous landmark, a river, a new place explored and shops. To demonstrate the vast amount of places visited in the United Kingdom and around the world, children brought pictures in of their adventures so a whole school display could be created.
Pupil Voice in Geography
"I find Geography exciting as I love learning about different countries and places."
"I love Geography as we get to learn about the world and what is happening to Earth."
"Geography is important because it allows us to gain an understanding about where we are in the world and what different countries are like."
"Geography gives us opportunities to practice skills for later in life, such as how to read a compass."
Curriculum Implementation for Geography
In order to foster and motivate children’s curiosity about the world, interest and creativity, we are enthusiastic about Geography and encourage children to explore and ask questions. At Scargill, we recognise that our curriculum planning must allow for children to gain a progressively deeper level of knowledge, understanding and skill competency as they advance through school. Therefore, Geography units have been carefully planned using the whole school Geography Curriculum and Progression of Skills Map to ensure that children are building on prior learning and making links between units.
At Scargill, Geography is taught in blocks throughout the year, which alternate with History, so that children can achieve depth in their learning. This ensures that Geography has rigour and focus. However, teachers endeavour to make links in learning across the National Curriculum subjects as it enables children to make connections both in their geographical learning and the wider curriculum.
Teaching and learning in Geography is well supported through a wealth of resources, including specific online platforms, such as Oddizzi and Digimaps for Schools which supports children develop and engage in their map work skills.
At Scargill, we believe that fieldwork is an integral part to our Geography curriculum as it enables children to experience first-hand experiences. Teachers are encouraged to consider opportunities available to use the school grounds and the local area, West Hallam and Ilkeston, to enhance the teaching and learning of Geography and help stimulate children’s learning of their locality. Therefore, Learning Outside the Classroom is a key feature of geography lessons and specific areas are mapped out and planned for. These are progressive through school and help develop children’s geographical and fieldwork skills.
Reception - Using globes to explore where hot and cold environments are on Earth.
Y1 - Using Messy Maps to visualise their local environment.
Y2 - Using atlases to find and locate the 4 countries that make up the United Kingdom.
Y2 - Using atlases to find and locate the 4 countries that make up the United Kingdom.
Y2 - Exploring the local village for Human and Physical features.
Y2 - Exploring the local village for Human and Physical features.
Y2 - Making observations of Human and Physical features around our school grounds.
Y3 - Using atlases to find and locate different cities in the United Kingdom.
Y3 - Using atlases to find and locate different cities in the United Kingdom.
Y3 - Naming and locating different counties and regions in the United Kingdom.
Y3 - Using Digimaps for Schools to help us name and locate mountains from around the world.
Y3 - Using Digimaps for Schools to help us name and locate mountains from around the world.
Y3 - Map reading during an orienteering activity.
Y3 - Map reading during an orienteering activity.
Y3 - Creating volcano models using our knowledge of the different features.
Y3 - Creating volcano models using our knowledge of the different features.
Y3 - Creating volcano models using our knowledge of the different features.
Y4 - Using the internet to research different Human and Physical features in European cities.
Y4 - Using the internet to research different Human and Physical features in European cities.
Y4 - Using the internet to research different Human and Physical features in European cities.
Y4 - Map reading during an Outdoor and Adventurous Activities (OAA).
Y4 - A Water Aid visitor explaining the importance of water during our River unit.
Y5 - Using globes to locate and explore different climate zones.
Y5 - Cross-curricular learning by using atlases to locate different Anglo Saxon cities.
Y5 - Cross-curricular learning by using atlases to locate different Anglo Saxon cities.
Y5 - Presenting their research on why you should visit Derby using their knowledge of its Human and Physical features.
Y5 - Presenting their research on why you should visit Derby using their knowledge of its Human and Physical features.
Y6 - Using Oddizzi to research what it is like in Rio de Janeiro to help compare to life in the United Kingdom.
Y6 - Using Oddizzi to research what it is like in Rio de Janeiro to help compare to life in the United Kingdom.
Curriculum Impact for Geography
Through engaging with the Geography curriculum at Scargill, children will develop the geographical knowledge and skills to help them explore, navigate and understand the world around them and their place in it. As children advance through school, their knowledge and skills will develop progressively and systematically, to not only meet the requirements of the National Curriculum, but to prepare them to become competent geographers in secondary education.
The outcomes produced in children’s books will evidence the broad and balanced Geography curriculum on offer at Scargill, whilst demonstrating children’s acquisition of the identified key knowledge relating to each of the National Curriculum strands. This is in unison to the development and application of key skills which is supported through fieldwork.
However, in order for children to achieve their full potential, children must know more, experience more, remember more and be able to do more. At Scargill, we believe that it is important for children to practice what they have previously been taught on a regular basis. Therefore, all Geography lessons will start with a Revisit, Remember and Respond (RRR) to allow children to revisit and recall previously taught content with the aim of the information moving from children’s working memory to their long-term memory.