GEOGRAPHY
INTENT:
At St Teresa’s we aim to deliver a high-quality geography education which inspires in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Through our teaching and hands on experiences we hope to equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.
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 of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
IMPLEMENTATION:
In Geography, our progressive units of work are designed to be modified for our children and their experiences. Staff continually review and adapt work and learning to meet our children’s needs. Fieldwork sessions are incorporated into the units of work to actively engage the children in their learning. The progressive skills learning challenges that are used, to plan and teach Geography, ensure that children are accessing work at age related expectations, with regular opportunities to be challenged through higher level objectives.
At Key Stage 1, our pupils develop knowledge about their own locality in Heaton, Newcastle, the United Kingdom and the World. They can understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation and map work. Through Geography, children learn about the world they live in, their place in it and the issues we face, both socially and environmentally. Our Geography curriculum reflects the diverse nature of our school. It is essential that the children in our school are offered the opportunity to have a wide-range of experiences and access to a wide and inclusive range of knowledge, in order for them to develop into well-rounded and diverse learners. enhance their locational awareness. They can also understand the differences between their country and area and countries around the world.
At Key Stage 2, pupils extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to a global setting. This includes the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. Our pupils develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enrich their locational and place knowledge. This is developed further by their growing understanding of the impact humans have on their environment and their role in the future of the world.
IMPACT:
All children at St. Teresa’s receive a broad and balanced curriculum regardless of year group or ability. Every child accesses all subjects on offer at our school. Teachers plan all subjects with clear progression of skills and knowledge that we have devised as part of our curriculum offer to ensure that all children access it at an age-appropriate level.
Please see the following below, with our creative curriculum in action. Here you will see a cross-curricular approach to learning that ensures that children are learning key skills across a number of subjects within their geography topics.
Children are learning to work both independently and as part of a group, ensuring skills of resilience and teamwork are promoted in this subject. Children are enthused and engaged in the wide variety of activities and they learn geography through different subjects.
Class trips and links with our local environment and parents ensure our children understand its significance and place within the wider world and that these excite and inspire children’s thirst for knowledge in this subject.