At Choppington Primary School, we believe a high-quality geography education should engage and challenge children. We believe that Geography should ignite a spark that inspires children to be curious and fascinated about the world around them and remain with them for the rest of their lives. We want them to be interested in our world, so that they can watch or read the news and understand with clarity the issues that will shape their future and have an informed view of the underlying causes and effects of these issues.
Children at Choppington Primary School will be equipped with knowledge about places, people, natural and human environments as well as understanding physical and human processes and the formation of landscapes and environments in the world we live in. Our pupils will also experience a variety of teaching techniques to help them to develop their knowledge and geographical skills, including field trips where possible to allow children to make the connection between their knowledge and real-life experiences. Geography raises and answers questions about the natural and human world around us. It develops knowledge of places and environments throughout the world, an understanding of maps and a range of investigative and problem-solving skills to be applied both inside and outside the classroom.
Geography provides a focus within the curriculum for understanding and resolving the issues concerning the environment and sustainable development. It also allows pupils to encounter different societies and cultures leading them to realise how nations rely on one another, as well as encouraging pupils to think about their own place in the world, their values and their rights and responsibilities to other people and the environment.
At Choppington Primary School we follow a two-year planning cycle which is accompanied by an interleaving curriculum in Geography. The curriculum develops children’s understanding of the world around them, enriches vocabulary and improves knowledge. Within the Early Years Foundation Stage, geography is included as part of Knowledge and Understanding the world. The children learn to investigate similarities and differences, the local environment and cultures and beliefs, fostering the skills essential to develop understanding. Pupils will observe, find out about, and identify features in the place they live and the natural world. They will begin to know about their own cultures and beliefs and those of other people. Pupils will also find out about their environment and talk about features they like and dislike. During Key Stage 1, pupils will investigate their local area and a contrasting area in the United Kingdom or in other countries, finding out about the environment in both areas and the people who live there. They also begin to learn about the wider world. They carry out geographical enquiry inside and outside the classroom. In doing this, they ask geographical questions about people, places and environments and use geographical skills and resources, such as maps and photographs. During Key Stage 2, pupils investigate a variety of people, places and environments in the United Kingdom and other countries and start to make links between different places in the world. They find out how people affect the environment and how they are affected by it. Pupils carry out geographical enquiry inside and outside the classroom. In doing this, they ask geographical questions, and use geographical skills and resources, such as maps, atlases, photographs, and ICT. Children will develop geographical enquiry skills, including asking geographical questions, collecting, and recording information and identifying different views. They will acquire the appropriate practical skills associated with Geography, including using suitable vocabulary, fieldwork techniques and maps, atlases, and plans. Pupils will use secondary sources of information with accuracy, including aerial photographs and satellite images. As well as making its own distinctive contribution to the school curriculum, geography contributes to the wider aims of primary education.
When teaching geography class teachers provide an opportunity to use a variety of data, such as maps, statistics, graphs, pictures, aerial photographs, geographical footage and we enable them to use ICT in geography lessons where this serves to enhance their learning. Children will take part in role play and discussions as well as writing. Geography will be related to topic work or other cross-curricular links and teachers will ensure that links between subjects are maximised. Teachers also will plan specific activities to provide adequate development of skills, knowledge and understanding associated with geography. The delivery of teaching in geography will vary, and will include a range of class, group and individual activities, instruction, and guidance as well as the use of questioning and discussion.