Rationale for Geography at Pondhu Primary School
At Pondhu Primary School our curriculum aims to give children the knowledge, skills and understanding to achieve their full potential academically, socially and emotionally. We aim to give the children the necessary skills to prepare them for life in modern British society. Our curriculum reflects both the context of the school and the experiences of the children. This encourages the children to be aspirational, to fulfil their potential and reach the highest of expectations that we have of them.
Curriculum Intent
Our intent is that the broad and balanced Geography curriculum at Pondhu Primary School will inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. We will use our Geography curriculum to help understand the most significant global issues and their potential solutions. We strive for all children to be actively engaged in their learning, to be motivated and eager, and to achieve and attain to their own full potential within the subject. It is our aim that all children will be equipped with the skills, knowledge and understanding that will lead to them to be successful in the subject, both while at Pondhu Primary School and throughout their future education. We aim to ensure that children understand the physical and human geography of their local area and its significant features which can then be compared and contrasted with other locations around the world. We have planned topics to engage children’s interest and curiosity; whilst ensuring full coverage of the National Curriculum.
Curriculum Implementation
Our curriculum ensures progression in skills, knowledge and understanding as the children move through their learning journey at Pondhu Primary School. We plan for these core skills, knowledge, vocabulary and concepts acquired in the Autumn and Spring terms to then be applied towards the end of the year in the context of a place-based study.
Each term, Geography will be taught through six lessons and there will be additional opportunities for pupils to carry out fieldwork every year. Fieldwork will be structured as an enquiry, with a strong emphasis on geographical concepts and skills, including mapwork and data collection, analysis and presentation. Opportunities will also be taken to reinforce geographical knowledge and vocabulary, including locational knowledge through ‘Geography in the news’; to use maps, globes and atlases; and to reinforce key geographical vocabulary within other subjects.
Geography topics are planned, structured and sequenced to ensure progression across units of work and across year groups. Children are also encouraged to link learning from one lesson to the next, one topic to the next, and one year group to the next to aid retention of key concepts and information.
Curriculum Impact
At Pondhu Primary School we have increasingly confident and enthusiastic children who are becoming more assured in their ability to showcase their geographical knowledge, to both peers and adults, using subject specific vocabulary and in-depth knowledge and understanding. At the end of each topic assessments showcase the learning and progress made. Outcomes in books evidence a broad and balanced Geography curriculum and demonstrate the children’s acquisition of key knowledge. Monitoring in Geography includes book scrutinies, learning walks, pupil and staff voice and analysing assessments and is used to inform further curriculum developments. We also assess the impact of our teaching through the children’s ability to approach new learning and apply skills and knowledge to new situations. We encourage and promote independence and resilience in order that children can further their learning and understanding in Geography as well as in the wider global issues which will shape their futures.
