Learning and Curriculum
Geography
Statement of Intent for Geography
At Masefield Primary School, we aim to provide an ambitious and high-quality Geography Curriculum, spanning the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to Year 6. Our Geography Curriculum builds knowledge of diverse places, people, natural and human environments, together with the Earth's fundamental physical processes. Through the progressive development of geographical knowledge, skills, understanding and enquiry, while simultaneously nurturing our pupils natural curiosity and fascination with the natural world, we aim to instil a life-long love and passion for Geography, in conjunction with respect for the world in which we inhabit.
Our Geography Curriculum builds knowledge of key geographical concepts, which allows pupils to explore in-depth the economic, environmental, political and social facets of places, while comparing and contrasting local, regional, national and global scales. Our Geographical Curriculum aims to ensure that our pupils are aware of contemporary geographical issues and the significance of human impacts across the globe and the drive towards sustainability. Armed with this information, our pupils will be better informed to make decisions about how they chose to live their lives now and in the future and will have an enhanced understanding of cultures dissimilar to their own; fostering mutual respect and tolerance.
At Masefield, the teaching and learning of Geography is delivered as a discrete subject, in order to promote the explicit and specific development of geographical knowledge, skills, understanding and enquiry. Naturally, links are to other areas of our curriculum, but this does not dilute the entitlement and quality of our Geography Curriculum.
Geography Curriculum
Our school's long-term plan for Geography establishes the content for teaching, specified within each year group. This is supported by the school's Geography Progression Document, which demonstrates pupil learning outcomes, within each stand of development, across and between our Geography Units of Work. Short-term planning details how this content evolves over a series of lessons within each unit of work. The organisation of our Geography Curriculum provides structured opportunities for all our pupils to:
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Develop enjoyment, interest in and knowledge of Geography and an appreciation of its contribution to all aspects of everyday life;
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Build upon their natural curiosity and sense of awe about our amazing human and natural environments;
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Be introduced to the language and specific vocabulary of Geography;
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Assimilate accurate locational knowledge of the world's countries, oceans and hemispheres and;
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Forge connections between the human and physical environments; facilitating pupil investigations of the economic, environmental, political and social aspects of Geography.
Geography Policy
Knowledge Organisers for Geography
Below is an example knowledge organiser from each year group for Geography:
Year Three - The Mediterranean
Year Four - China and the Grassland Biome
These are sent home each half term as part of the curriculum overviews. EYFS Knowledge Organisers can be found in the EYFS tab.
High quality texts underpinning our Geography curriculum
To support the teaching of Geography here at Masefield, we have developed a collection of books that all children in our school are to experience and enjoy. We aim to immerse our children in a range of texts, specifically chosen by our staff to ensure that children hear the best stories read aloud to them by their teachers for pleasure, to excite and inspire our children and support the development of knowledge and skills in Geography.
Our Award Winning Provision for Geography
Primary Geography Quality Mark - Achieved 2023
We have achieved the Geography Quality Mark - Silver in September 2023. This is a prestigious award which recognises and promotes quality and progress in geography leadership, curriculum development and teaching and learning in schools, and recognises the high standard of geographical teaching and learning across our school.
The Primary Geography Quality Mark supports schools to develop a curriculum with high quality intent, implementation and impact. It raises the profile of geography across the whole school community, with parents/carers, teachers, governors and children, and provides impactful and rigorous professional development alongside external validation of the quality of our curriculum.
Other Relevant Information
Below you will find more information relevant to the teaching of Geography at Masefield Primary School.