The strands of the Geography National Curriculum
- 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.
Our Vision for Geography…
At Eaves, we believe that Geography allows children a unique insight into understanding the world around them, to extend their experiences and awareness beyond St Helens and Merseyside and it encourages children to think in new ways about the context in which they or others live. In a rapidly changing world, Geography is a subject with a continuing purpose that requires a range of skills and knowledge that draws on other areas.
Why is Geography important?
At Eaves, our vision for Geography is that children leave Eaves Primary School with a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. This will be achieved by not only imparting knowledge onto our children, but by developing the geographical skills that will allow them to explore the subject themselves. Enquiry, communicating observations, learning subject-specific vocabulary, using maps and carrying out fieldwork will result in children leaving Eaves Primary School with the potential to become keen Geographers who can understand the big issues of the day.
What Geography looks like…
Throughout their time at Eaves Primary School children will learn Geography’s big ideas of place, environment, scale, impact and cultural awareness. In our EYFS, children will get a sense of place by observing, exploring and investigating their immediate environment. In KS1, children will begin to look outwards into the rest of the United Kingdom, Europe and the rest of the world, where comparisons in human and physical Geography are made. In KS2, children will learn about higher-level Geographical features, such as volcanoes, earthquakes and coastlines and apply critical thinking to complex concepts such as trade and economic activity. Children will have opportunities through research, fieldwork and locational/ place studies to assimilate knowledge of physical and human geographical features within the UK, Europe and the Wider World.
Children at Eaves Primary School will have the opportunity to conduct fieldwork in a graduated approach through observations and fieldwork. They will become familiar with the Geography of their school site, the local area including identification of physical and human features within St Helens, Rainhill, Merseyside and then in contrasting parts of the United Kingdom as the curriculum progresses. They will also be able to discuss current geographical news reports in school, such as extreme weather events or earthquakes.
