Geography

Subject Lead: Miss Gilligan

OUR INTENT

Our Geography curriculum fosters a deep sense of place and connection, and it is our intention that through Geography, pupils develop a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Throughout their time at Arden pupils explore the world's physical, human, and environmental features, develop a deep understanding of the Earth's key physical and human processes, and are encouraged to understand the diverse places, people, cultures and resources that shape our planet. Through Geography, pupils are provided with the necessary tools to appreciate both their own lives and global events within a geographical context.

Our Geography curriculum ignites curiosity about Earth's landscapes, regions, and societies. Pupils are encouraged to ask questions, think critically, and analyse various geographical contexts. They learn about the unique characteristics of different locations, empathise with the challenges faced by people in diverse geographical settings, and examine the interplay of human activities and the environment. This helps pupils draw links between geographical phenomena and their own lives, applying geographic principles to better understand the world around them.

Our Geography curriculum is progressive, covering the key strands of the National Curriculum. We go further by taking pupils on a journey around the world, with pupils learning about all the world's continents. Pupils learn about broader locations, issues or geographical features before 'zooming in' to different locations, where they may complete case studies, and learn about more specific locales in depth.

We know that the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils acquire during their time in the EYFS serve as a foundation for their engagement with Geography at Key Stage One. As pupils transition to the National Curriculum in Years 1 - 6, Geography is taught across a full term. Procedural and disciplinary knowledge is built upon progressively, allowing pupils to systematically develop their geographic knowledge and skills.

We strive to ensure that every child has access to the complete Geography curriculum and a variety of teaching methods are used to achieve this. Carefully planned and sequenced lessons include opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively in pairs, groups, and independently. We encourage both teachers and pupils to use rich language and precise, subject-specific vocabulary to facilitate a deep understanding, allowing pupils to reason, articulate, and make generalisations effectively. Pupils know more and remember more by revisiting prior learning, but also by revisiting each strand of knowledge and levels of SOLO Taxonomy progressively throughout the school. Fostering pupils's understanding of fundamental geographic concepts is a cornerstone of our approach. These substantive concepts serve as essential building blocks for pupils to comprehend new material and provide a framework for making connections, retaining, and recalling information. We consistently strive to create a state of 'readiness,' so that pupils are consistently prepared for the next phase of their geographical learning journey.

Evidence through pupil voice, coupled with outcomes in books, will show that children can confidently articulate and demonstrate their geographical knowledge and understanding (including key geographical concepts) using the correct vocabulary. Children will be able to make connections between the Earth's physical and human processes, talk about how maps are used and how we interpret information from a range of sources. Children will have an understanding and respect for the world they live in and the people who live in it.

We scrutinise the efficiency of our teaching approach and its impact on children's knowledge, understanding and progress through:

  • Unseen final source analysis
  • Observations through fieldwork
  • Whole school moderation to inform assessment criteria and ensure accuracy of judgements
  • Evidence through pupil voice
  • Outcomes in books across the learning journey
  • Termly teacher assessments
  • Subject leader monitoring
  • Learning walks
  • Lesson drop ins
  • Weekly 'Friday Flicks' 
GEOGRAPHY PROGRESSION DOCUMENT