Geography Intent, Implementation and Impact

Intent

Within the White Peak Federation, we believe that Geography helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. Children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it.

The lessons covered are intended to improve children’s geographical vocabulary, map skills and geographical facts as well as provide opportunities for consolidation, challenge and progress in the subject.

The Geography curriculum within the White Peak Federation enables children to develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and which can be used to promote their Spiritual, Moral. Social and Cultural development. Geography is, by nature, an investigative subject, which develops and understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. We seek to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives; to promote the children’s interest and understanding of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.

The curriculum is designed to develop knowledge and skills that are progressive, as well as transferable, throughout their time within the White Peak Federation and also to their further education and beyond.

Implementation

Geography within the White Peak Federation is taught in line with our topic for each term, alternating and occasionally concurrently with history so that children can achieve depth in their learning. The key knowledge and skills of each unit has been identified to ensure progression across topics throughout each year group across the school. At the beginning of the unit, children are able to convey what they know already by the use of pre learning. The pre learning informs the programme of study and also ensures that lessons are relevant and take account of children’s different starting points.

Children are encouraged to use their knowledge organisation books to record new vocabulary, skills and learning.

Key areas of learning are revisited regularly and links are made within and between topics which further supports our pupil’s learning. 

This formative assessment is used to inform future lessons in the learning sequence to help children to gather a broad and deep understanding of the unit. 

Classroom working walls reflect the learning journey of the class, highlighting key knowledge and skill development as well as specific vocabulary. At the end of a topic, pre-assessments are revisited for children to reflect upon and show off their new learning.

Impact

Our Geography Curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. If children are keeping up with the curriculum, they are deemed to be making good or better progress. In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• Post learning activity within individualised knowledge organisers in Y2-Y6 and a knowledge book for Reception - Y1.

• Pupil discussions about their learning.

As children progress throughout the school, they develop knowledge, understanding and appreciation of their local area and its place within the wider geographical context.

As a Year 6 Geographer, transitioning to secondary school, we aspire that pupils will have developed a geographical mind of inquiry; an understanding of the world and its human and physical connections; how history has played a part in influencing our planet in terms of trade and migration and the impact that the human race has on the planet.