Intent

Our curriculum is designed to inspire our children to be curious about the world around them, equipping them with the necessary diverse knowledge and key skills to become the geographers of the future, and advocates for a better, more sustainable, world.

Our aim is for our children to develop an interest and desire to investigate different places, and their people - both local and afar - as well as the Earth’s key processes, whilst developing a growing understanding of geographical concepts, terms and vocabulary.

We commit ourselves to providing children with regular meaningful opportunities to make enquiries about and explore our vast school grounds and local area - rich in fieldwork opportunities - allowing them to develop their skills practically whilst gaining deep knowledge about the area in which they live, crucial in allowing them to effectively compare it to other places, and its people, around the world as their learning develops with each unit.

Through our geography curriculum, our pupils will not only learn how changes in the past have affected today’s environment, they will question how humans interact with the environment, understanding the impact humankind has on the world around us and the challenges we face today and in the future.

Implementation

• Geography units are explored 3 times an academic year per year group from 1-6.
• Our EYFS units provide a solid foundation of geographical skills, knowledge and enquiry for children to transition successfully onto Key Stage 1’s Geography learning, whilst also working towards the Development Matters statements and Early Learning Goals. These units consist of a mixture of adult-led and child-initiated activities.
• Progression of skills and knowledge are clearly mapped out within four strands (Locational knowledge, Place knowledge, Human and physical geography, Geographical skills and fieldwork).
• Development matters statements and Early learning goals are clearly mapped out to ensure they are met in each activity within the EYFS units.
• Geographical key concepts (Place, Space, Scale, Interdependence, Physical and human processes, Environmental impact and sustainable development, Cultural awareness and diversity) are woven across all units rather than being taught discretely.
• We use an enquiry-based approach – each lesson within a unit explores a question for learning (QFL) with the aim of answering a ‘big question’ by the end of the unit. These questions are open-ended, helping to engage our pupils in generating a real change.
• Entry tickets and knowledge organisers provide regular opportunities to revisit and recall previous learning (either in past years, topics or subjects as applicable) as skills and knowledge progress in complexity. These are mapped out for our teachers in our coverage documents to support their planning.
• Lessons incorporate various teaching strategies from independent tasks to paired and group work, including practical hands-on, computer-based and collaborative activities, both in and out of the classroom.
• Our teachers are supported with guidance on how to adapt their teaching to ensure that all pupils can access learning for each lesson. Challenge opportunities are also considered to stretch pupils’ learning where appropriate. 
• Cross-curricular links are included throughout each unit, allowing children to make connections and apply their Geography skills to other areas of learning.
• Regular fieldwork opportunities are mapped out across the academic year; taking advantage of our vast school site, as well as our local area (within the district of Canterbury). 
• Our units follow an enquiry cycle that maps out the fieldwork process of question, observe, measure, record, and present, to reflect the elements mentioned in the National curriculum. 
• Opportunities for meaningful trips and talks/workshops from visitors are planned throughout the year.
• Extended writing opportunities and exposure to quality topic related texts are planned into the curriculum.
• Opportunities for children to be exposed to and use higher level vocabulary are mapped out, displayed and referred to regularly in lessons.
• Teachers have direct access to CPD resources to support each unit to ensure strong subject knowledge before delivery.

Impact

Our enquiry-based approach to learning allows our teachers to assess our children against the national curriculum expectations for geography. The impact of our geography curriculum is evidenced in multiple ways: questions in class, discussions, pupils’ work, answers to retrieval questions/activities, pre and post topic quizzes, as well as through pupil voice. In addition, our children are given regular opportunities to present their findings using their geographical skills.

By the end of each key stage, our pupils will be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to enable them to progress to the next, with confidence.

By end of Chartham’s geography curriculum, our children will possess a growing knowledge of the world - local and afar - and their place in it. They will be inspired geographers with respect and appreciation for the world around them, ready to continue to drive a positive impact.