At Hope School, we have designed our geography curriculum to encourage and motivate a generation of Geographers that harvest a natural curiosity about the world around us, including a responsibility for both the natural and human environments. Alongside this, we encourage our children to respect the diverse people, places and resources of our Earth.

We understand that Geography is important  as it provides a means of exploring, appreciating and understanding the world in which we live and how it has evolved. At its heart, we have placed an aim to inspire pupils to be curious and fascinated by the world around them and further afield.

Intent:

At Hope School of Excellence our intent is to provide a high-quality geography education, which ensures depth and breadth and teaches knowledge and skills progressively, providing plenty of opportunities for children to build upon and embed previous knowledge. Through our new curriculum, we aim to ignite children’s curiosity about their locality, the United Kingdom and the wider world. Children understand that through geography, we can learn about our own place in the world, our culture and values and those of others, and their rights and responsibilities to other people. Teaching equips pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, interpret geographical information and conduct fieldwork.

Implementation:

Geography topics form key drivers within our new curriculum. Children spend a term focussing on a geography topic in order to gain a deep and broad understanding. Within the lessons, children have the opportunity to ask and answer questions about the natural and human world. They develop their knowledge of places and environments throughout the world, an understanding of maps, and a range of investigative and problem-solving skills, drawing on resources within the local area. Through field work and opportunities to learn within the outdoors, children develop an appreciation of the natural world. Our curriculum teaches both the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that children need to be successful geographers.

Impact:

Upon leaving Key Stage 1, children will have developed a strong knowledge of their local area, the countries of the United Kingdom and be able to locate continents and oceans around the world. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils will be able to explain aspects of human and physical geography articulately; use maps and atlases, and understand the negative impact of climate change and their personal responsibilities as global citizens. Well-constructed and well-taught lessons will provide pupils with opportunities to develop research and field work skills and create curious, enthusiastic learners, who show independence and resilience. Knowledge and skills will have developed progressively to not only enable learners to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum but to prepare pupils to become competent geographers in secondary education. Pupils will have thoroughly enjoyed learning about geography, therefore encouraging them to have a life-long passion for the natural world and an ongoing curiosity about our global climate, and different cultures, environments and societies. They should be able to think critically and communicate confidently both orally and in their writing.

For children:

KS1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zcdqxnb

KS2

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zbkw2hv

Geography Progressive vocabulary

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6