Geography
Subject Lead: Miss E Chesworth
At Leasowes, we firmly believe that ‘every child is a Geographer’ and our rich, inclusive and progressive Geography curriculum reflects this. It is our view that the golden thread to Geography is an equal balance of core knowledge and sense of place. It is vital that children are taught key geographical knowledge and skills whilst developing empathy towards worldwide communities by learning about their fundamental cultural and social qualities.
‘Geography is about empathy, understanding others and our world. That is the joy of Geography.’ Tom Brassington
Our Geography curriculum is designed so that personal development is an intrinsic part. As a result of the teaching and learning that takes in Geography at Leasowes, our children will develop an innate curiosity about the world and its people which will remain with them for life. They will have a rich understanding of the human and physical features of the Earth and the people who live there. This ensures our children become active citizens who are culturally and environmentally aware of our ever-changing world, thus understanding the importance of ‘protecting today to preserve tomorrow’.
Our curriculum is underpinned by the NC programmes of study and is designed to ensure that our children becomechildren become efficient Geographers who:
- Are curious about the diverse world in which we live and show fascination towards the study of its people
- Understand the key processes linked to the world’s physical and human geographical features
- Can use a range of resources to locate key places around the world
- Draw on their geographical skills to conduct their own fieldwork investigations
Geography is a foundation subject of the National Curriculum which we teach through a knowledge and skills-based approach. Geography is split into four distinct areas which enable pupils to develop an understanding of the different aspects of Geography, build on key vocabulary and expand their knowledge of the subject:
At Leasowes, our Geography curriculum has been designed to ensure that geographical knowledge and skills are built on as children progress throughout the school. Vertical, diagonal and horizontal links are made explicit in key subject documentation such as coverage and progression documents, knowledge organisers and lesson sequences, thus ensuring that teachers and leaders are aware of children’s foundational knowledge to build on and revisit.
Our Geography curriculum is ambitious and goes above and beyond the requirements set out in the National Curriculum, as evidenced by our Gold Primary Geography Quality Mark. We provide a range of multi-modal and memorable learning experiences to enhance teaching and learning in Geography, such as our whole school celebration of ‘Outdoor Classroom Day’ and extra-curricular opportunities such as ‘Geography Explorers club’. We also encourage children to respectfully consider and discuss topical, geographical issues through our Life Beyond Leasowes assemblies; this demonstrates the importance of Geography in understanding the stories that develop everyday around the world. Furthermore, our strategically planned, high-quality fieldwork opportunities are purposeful, progressive and ignite children’s curiosity about the world around them.
