At Emmbrook Infant School we value the importance of a high-quality, geography education which provides a means of exploring, appreciating and understanding the world in which we live – we are intrepid explorers from the comfort of our classrooms! We aim to inspire in our children a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people.
We build upon the children’s personal geography by developing geographical skills, understanding and knowledge through studying places and themes. Teaching should 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.
Geography is an integral part of the curriculum as it provokes and answers questions about the natural and human worlds, using different scales of enquiry to view them from different perspectives. Geography is a focus within the curriculum for understanding and resolving issues about the environment and sustainable development, with a view to raising awareness of the world around us.
The 2014 National Curriculum for Geography aims to ensure that all children:
- develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes
- understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time
- are competent in the geographical skills needed to:
- collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes
- interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
- communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.
Geography in the In Early Years
Geography is taught through the Specific area of Understanding the World: The World and is enabled through for example:
- using the local area for exploring both the built and the natural environment;
- providing opportunities to observe things closely through a variety of means, including magnifiers and photographs;
- providing play maps and small world equipment for children to create their own environments;
- teaching skills and knowledge in the context of practical activities, e.g.
- giving opportunities to record findings by, e.g. drawing, writing, making a model or photographing;
- providing stories that help children to make sense of different environments;
- providing stimuli and resources for children to create simple maps and plans, paintings, drawings and models of observations of known and imaginary landscapes;
- giving opportunities to design practical, attractive environments, for example, taking care of the flowerbeds or organising equipment outdoors.
Implementation
Teachers create a positive attitude to geographical learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in Geography.
The curriculum is planned to cover the requirements of the National Curriculum. Each unit of work is driven by an enquiry focus led by a series of key concept questions. Through these units, teachers reinforce key geographical vocabulary and inspire geographical curiosity.
Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of geography involves the following;
- We have developed a spiral scheme of work which supports the National Curriculum and builds on knowledge, skills and understanding year on year. Learning is facilitated through pupils pursuing a key question enquiry led approach, which encourages them to take increasing responsibility for their learning, think independently and achieve challenging subject outcomes.
- This approach is reflected in all of our planning. We ask insightful questions, which in turn support pupils to delve deeply into aspects of geographical topics both at a local, national and international level.
- Each unit of work contains a list of the geographical vocabulary we expect the children to be exposed to and to then in turn, use in their speech and their work. Vocabulary is built on through each unit, and year on year.
- Certain themes and concepts are revisited termly e.g. the Seasons to ensure knowledge is retained and learnt in context. Other concepts are revisited on an annual basis e.g plants
- Teachers demonstrate how to interpret geographical sources when appropriate, and model the various geographical skills required in order to embed geographical understanding.
- Teachers plan lessons for their class using our progression of knowledge and skills document. The progression document ensures the curriculum is covered and the skills/knowledge taught is progressive from year group to year group.
- Geography teaching focuses on enabling children to think as geographers. A variety of teaching approaches are used based on the teacher’s judgement.
- Countries that are studied are selected because they have a direct link to other areas studied in the curriculum e.g. Year 1 study Ghana as a contrasting locality because they study the Victorians and the Empire, Year 2
- Geography provides excellent opportunities to enhance the learning of more able pupils through the investigations, analysing sources and writing extending pieces. Children showing extensive aptitude in geography will be placed on our schools More Able and Talented register. These children will be selected for appropriate enrichment opportunities throughout the year
- A variety of opportunities for geography learning takes place inside and outside the classroom. Educational visits are another opportunity for the teachers to plan for additional geography learning outside the classroom. The children have explored the local area including orienteering within the school grounds and visiting places of interest that enhance the geography curriculum.
- Outside walks in the school environment take place regularly so the children are able to identify and seasonally observe named trees, flowers and birds.
- Every year we have an ‘International Week’ where the curriculum is enriched with visitors and workshops that reflect the cultural diversity of our school and the world we live in. The International week culminates in an opportunity for parents to share their cultural heritage with the whole school community, with everyone experiencing food, artefacts and costumes from around the world.
Impact
Impact is measured in a variety of ways: through cold and hot tasks, speech bubbles which capture geographical thinking, work in pupil books and observations in class. As each unit of work is covered, we consider the related intended learning, recognise children who are working at or beyond the expected level for their age, as well as identifying the children who need and who will therefore receive support.
We revisit previous topics and concepts to assess if the children have remembered previous learning some time later.
All pupils will leave the Infant School with an increased knowledge and understanding of the world in which they live. Pupils will be able to engage with and evaluate different geographical sources, encouraging them to reflect, debate and evaluate the past, think critically and develop a passion for history as young historians. In addition, learning from the past will help pupils to understand how the future can be different.
This curriculum provides a strong cultural capital that allows pupils to learn lessons from history that will positively influence the decisions that they make in their future lives.