“The study of geography is about more than just memorising places on a map. It’s about understanding the complexity of our world, appreciating the diversity of cultures that exists across continents. And, in the end, it’s about using all that knowledge to help bridge divides and bring people together.” – Barak Obama 

Intent:  

At Etruscan we offer a broad and balanced geography curriculum. We aim to inspire a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. Through engaging activities we equip the children with knowledge about a diverse range of people, places and natural and human environments. We equip the children with the skills they need to explore and find out more about or world, encouraging them to ask questions and investigate to learn more about the world, its countries and cultures, avoiding stereotypical views of places. We explore the human and physical features and processes of our world, and develop the children’s understanding of how these affect the way people live. This gives our children a good geographical base and prepares them to continue and expand their understanding as their education continues into high school.  

Implementation: 

Geography teaching begins in the Early Years Foundation Stage where children gain an understanding of the place where they live and of the wider world. In Years 1 to 6, we teach geography through our Learning Challenge Curriculum, using three overarching questions with 6 subsidiary questions each week for half a term. This allows children to develop concepts and explore geographical ideas in depth. Each half term children take part in a WOW to inspire their curiosity. This may be a trip, visitor or experience in school. We use a ‘workshop’ style approach to learning to allow children to engage with the learning. The lesson begins by reflecting on prior learning, before identifying which skill is going to be developed. Vocabulary is a key element in every lesson we teach. By discussing the specific geographical vocabulary at the beginning of the lesson, we ensure all children can access learning and feel confident to use the vocabulary. As they get older, we encourage children to form opinions about geographical ideas and debate issues relating to geographical concepts.  

Impact

Geographical skills are developed throughout the school (nursery through to Year 6). The knowledge is progressive and it allows links to be made. Children are enthused by geography. Children engage in debates and discussions around the topic. They have a greater understanding of the world they live in and how they can affect this. They are curious to find out more and make links between the geography they have studied.

Characteristics of a Geographer: 

• A real sense of curiosity to find out about the world and its people. 
• An excellent knowledge of where places are, what they are like and why they are like that.  

• An excellent understanding of how physical environments affect the way people live. 
• An ability to ask geographical questions and use field work, maps and other geographical skills and techniques to answer them in an analytical way. 
• An ability to express well-balanced opinions, using geographical knowledge and understanding of current and contemporary issues in society and the environment.   
• An ability to reach clear conclusions and a reasoned argument, based on geographical enquiry, and represent these in original, imaginative and creative ways.  
• An extensive understanding of geographical vocabulary. 

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Using and Applying English and maths within Geography: 

English:  

• Demonstration of skills learnt in English sessions. 

• Debates, discussions, reports, brochures, fact files, instructions, explanations and descriptions.  

Maths: 

• Demonstration of skills taught within Maths sessions.  
• Calculations (related to population, area, distance, height and depth), compass points, direction, reading of graphs and analysing data, coordinates and scale.  

Science: 

• Links to seasonal changes in KS1.  
• Use of scientific understanding to interpret geographical data.  

Inclusion: 

Teachers set high expectations for every pupil. They plan challenging work to enable all pupils to make good progress regardless of their academic ability or background. We expect all children to make good progress albeit from different starting points.