Senior leaders’ intent for the curriculum in Geography, and our understanding of its implementation and impact.

Intent

Geography is about Earth's land water, air, and living things- particularly people.  It is essentially about understanding the world that we live in.  The word geography derives from the Greek word Geo, meaning Earth, and Graphos (graphy), meaning writing, or description.

At St. Paul's school, children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding of their local environment, the wider world, as well their place in it.  Throughout the subject there are continuous links to CST, as guardians of God’s Creation, and people’s movement within it.  The geography curriculum is designed to develop knowledge and skills that are transferrable to other curriculum areas and which can be used to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. We spend time in our copse and using the school grounds, and local area for observations and exploration. These vital skills are then built upon and enhanced as the children progress through the school. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and the formation and use of landscapes and environments.  Alongside their learning, children will develop subject specific vocabulary relating to aspects of both human and physical geography.  We encourage children to use taught vocabulary and to listen to each other using the sentence stems and oracy skills practised throughout St. Paul’s.

Implementation

The Geography curriculum is shaped by our school aims, to enable all children, including, regardless of background, ability, additional needs (SEND), to flourish and achieve their very best. In Geography, as with all other subjects at St Paul’s, we want pupils to develop the characteristics of learners outlined in DESIRE. We believe that each child should enjoy their learning in Geography, and lessons should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.  At St Pauls school children are encouraged to learn about the world we live in and ways we can have a positive influence on it.  The children study localities, both in the United Kingdom, and abroad to help them to become familiar with, and understand the Earth’s processes, both physical and human. The curriculum is designed to develop skills and understanding which are progressive throughout their time at St. Paul’s school.  The study of geography is, by nature, an investigative subject, and encourages children to develop an enquiring mind, which can also be applied in other areas of the curriculum.

A two yearly cycle of topics is planned as an overview of teaching and learning.  This is reviewed and reflected upon, and can be adapted with the needs of the children.  Cross curricular outcomes in geography are specifically planned for, with strong links between geography, and literacy and history lessons so, that children achieve depth in their learning and understanding.  Children’s knowledge is assessed discreetly, usually through questioning during lessons, during plenaries or as next steps in marking.  New content is through the topics and skills are taught in a practical, hands-on way to ensure enjoyment of the subject. The local area is fully utilised to achieve the desired outcomes, with extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice.

Our Geography curriculum is planned in line with the knowledge and skills outlined in the National Curriculum throughout KS1 and KS2.

Impact

The main source of impact will be found in the quality and breadth of work seen in pupil's books, learning journeys (EYFS) and in the learning environment.

By the time the children leave St Paul’s school, they will:

• Have an excellent understanding of where they live, where places are and what they are like.
• Have an excellent understanding of human and physical environments and how they are interrelated.
• Have an extensive geographical knowledge and vocabulary.
• Have an excellent understanding about issues affecting the global environment and how our actions make an impact.
• Have developed and utilised fieldwork and geographical skills and techniques.

Impact will ultimately be measured by how effectively it helps our pupils develop into well rounded individuals who have learnt to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence and analyse data.  We want the children to have a passion for geography, and a real sense of curiosity to find out about the world around them and undertake new life experiences now and in the future.