Geography

‘It’s surely our responsibility to do everything within our power to create a planet that provides a home for not just us, but for all life on Earth’

SIR David Attenborough.

Rationale

Cornerstones are four small schools, located in rural North Yorkshire. We want to open the world to our children providing them with greater diversity, to show them its wonders and its problems. To teach them to question what they see before them and to give them the courageous advocacy to stand up with their views with actions. We believe this will make them outward looking young people, ready for life outside their communities.

Intent KS1 and KS2

• Our Long-Term rolling programme lays out a balanced plan of learning to unsure an exciting curriculum delivery throughout KS1 and KS2.
• Our MTP ensure the specific intention for each unit of work.
• We intend to build children’s vocabulary and understanding during each unit, encouraging children to be active learners, asking questions and using their voice to talk confidently about what they have learnt and think in discussions.
• We aim to give children hands on experiences in the field where possible, encompassing hands on learning. We also intend children to engage in and use technology to advance and enhance their understanding of the subject.

Intent EYFS

• To spark curiosity and interest in the world through providing exciting topics linked to our KS1 curriculum. Using play and creative learning, technology and art to explore.
• Emerging them in hands on experiences in their surroundings. Accessing local amenities through walks, visits and forest schools.
• We intend to encourage all children to become outward looking individuals, to explore and use their experiences in life, holidays, family etc…to learn about the wider geographical world.

Implementation KS1 and KS2

In three of our schools, we have two classes during the afternoon, this means whole key stage learning. In one of our schools learning is organised into KS1, Lower KS2 and Upper KS2. This means our long-term plan carefully outlines coverage of the objectives set out by the curriculum.

• In Key Stage One and Two, children are taught the subject of geography through the guidance of the National Curriculum 2014 covering Locational Knowledge, Place Knowledge, Human and Physical Geography in and Geographical Skills and Fieldwork.
• Geography is planned for using our Long-Term Curriculum Plans where ‘Whole School Learning Questions’ are used termly to drive a creative link between subjects. Please refer to our Long-Term Curriculum Planning.
• From this, units of work are taught either termly or half termly, with flexibly, so that if there is need to explore units for an extended amount of time, this can be done.
• Children will be introduced to and expected to use the correct and appropriate geographical vocabulary for their stage of development with appropriate assessments made of their progress and learning throughout the Primary Key Stages. This is outlined in the progression document.

Implementation EYFS

• In all our schools the EYFS are part of the KS1 classroom. They learn to be geographers through accessing the Early Learning Goals in Knowledge and Understanding of the world.
• They explore opportunities to develop their Knowledge and Understanding of the world skills through the core provision, the enhancements added and the first-hand experiences in and out of school.
• The whole school questions are used to underpin their learning with the older peers in their class,  but planned more at an appropriate and accessible level to meet their individual needs set out in the EYFS Curriculum. Children also are given opportunity to follow their own lines of interest within the setting.
•  Those children working at exceeding ELG levels will have learning opportunities which provide greater breadth and depth through identified, planned and enhanced learning areas.

Impact

From EYFS to Y6, we aim to foster a respect, interest and knowledge in the world and its people. We want our children to be accepting of difference, to feel they can contribute to the world they live in and make valuable contributions as young global citizens. We want them to be confident in the way they want to shape their future and their place in the world.

Through the teaching and learning of Geography, we want a positive impact on our children in order to:

• Be confident, informed and valued learners through a wide range of enriched and practical experiences which helps them look outwards and beyond their immediate environment.
• Use and apply their geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to demonstrate their learning.

Geography progression document