Geography

The Intent

At Stewart Headlam, we aim for a high quality geography curriculum which should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. Our teaching equips pupils with knowledge about places and people; resources in the environment; physical and human processes; formation and use of landscapes. We also want children to develop geographical skills: collecting and analysing data; using maps, globes, aerial photographs and digital mapping to name and identify countries, continents and oceans; and communicating information in a variety of ways. We want children to enjoy and love learning about geography by gaining this knowledge and skills, not just through experiences in the classroom, but also with the use of fieldwork and educational visits.

The Implementation

In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in geography, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. Geography is taught three times a year 1-6 as a half termly topic, focusing on knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum. At Stewart Headlam, we ensure that geography has the same importance given to it as the core subjects, as we feel this is important in enabling all children to gain ‘real-life’ experiences. For example, knowing the that people come from all over the world in the Foundation stage, using the local area to follow maps in Key Stage 1, to comparing the similarities and differences in environments and communities in Lower Key Stage 2, through to looking at current affairs such as natural disasters as a result of extreme weather in Upper Key Stage 2.

The Impact

The impact and measure of this is to ensure that children at Stewart Headlam are equipped with geographical skills and knowledge that will enable them to be ready for the curriculum at Key Stage 3 and for life as an adult in the wider world. We want them to able able to speak with confidence with relation to geographical terms, knowledge and link their learning to the real world around them.

We want all our children to be geographers.

We want the children to have thoroughly enjoyed learning about geography, therefore encouraging them to undertake new life experiences now and in the future.