Intent

At Templefield Lower School, we strive to ensure that our pupils have a secure understanding of the world that they live in. We wish to inspire in them a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for them for the rest of their lives. Through high quality first teaching, we endeavour to equip our pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human processes. Throughout, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between human and physical processes and how our world has been shaped in forms of landscape and different environments. Through the teaching and learning of Geography, our pupils become better equipped to understand the fascinating, curious, diverse and ever-changing world that we live in. Thus, ensuring that they are key in ensuring its survival.

Implementation

At Templefield, our Geography is taught through cleverly designed ‘Big Pictures,’ that capture our children’s interest and curiosity about the world and its people.

Our whole school approach to teaching Geography involves the following:

• ‘Big Pictures,’ that are a clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum.

• A Progression of skills document that incorporates the expected learning outlined in the National Curriculum.
• Giving children opportunities to practise the skills stated within the following areas of learning: Geographical Enquiry, Direction/Location, Drawing Maps, Representation, Using Maps, Scale and Distance, Perspective, Map Knowledge and Style of Map.
• First Quality Teaching and Learning opportunities to ensure that children develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places, a deeper understanding of the physical and human features of the world and particular areas of study.
• Carefully planned sessions to ensure coverage of skills stated in the Progression of Skills document, in addition to opportunities for the children to conduct some field Geography within their surrounding environment.
• A range of Teaching and Learning strategies will be used to ensure that children develop their knowledge about the United Kingdom and their local area in Key Stage 1 and extending their knowledge beyond this to include Europe and North and South America in Key Stage 2.
• Each child recording their learning journey in their Wider Curriculum books, through a variety of stimulating activities.
• Display boards that provide background knowledge of the ‘Big Picture,’ and celebrate the work produced by the children.
• Table top displays to share books and resources such as globe and atlas which the children will have direct access to support so that they can support and develop their own learning more independently.

 Impact

Through Geography, our pupils will develop the knowledge, skills and understanding of the world that we live in. They will have a secure understanding of the United Kingdom through in-depth study of the 4 countries and the Human and Physical Features of each. They will have had opportunities to first- hand experience their local community through some field Geography.  As our pupils progress they will gain a deeper understanding of the formation and use of landscape and environments. A spark of curiosity will be lit in the hope that children will want to explore the world and its many diverse landscapes and environments for themselves.