Aims

The National Curriculum for Geography aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes
• understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time
• are competent in the geographical skills needed to:

1. collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes
2. interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
3. communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.

Geography Intent

Our Geography curriculum, in line with the National Curriculum, is designed to develop children’s curiosity, fascination and understanding about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

Children investigate a range of places – both in Britain and abroad – to help develop their knowledge and understanding of the Earth’s physical and human processes.

We are committed to providing children with opportunities to investigate and make enquiries about their local area of Decoy, Newton Abbot and Dartmoor, so that they can develop of real sense of who they are, their heritage and what makes our local area unique and special. This also aims to include outdoor learning opportunities.

We will develop the children’s ability to apply geographical skills to enable them to confidently communicate their findings and geographical understanding to a range of audiences.

Implementation

By the end of Key Stage 2, our pupils will ‘Think like a geographer’

This phrase captures how pupils can learn to

• build on and expand pupils’ personal experiences of geography and what they already know, thus securing their understanding and helping them commit knowledge to their long-term memory
• Think about the future
• Consider how they influence decision that will be made

Furthermore, using real, relevant and contemporary contexts is important in helping pupils relate general principles to actual locations.

Through high quality teaching, we develop the following essential concepts of geographer knowledge:

• Place, space and scale - An excellent knowledge of where places are and what they are like, both in Britain and the wider world;
• Cultural understanding – An awareness of the cultural differences which result from their understanding of place
• Interdependence - A comprehensive understanding of the ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected;
• Physical and human processes - An extensive base of geographical knowledge and vocabulary;
• Environmental impact and sustainability – To understand how human action can impact our world, how we can protect the environment, reduce climate change and create a sustainable future;
• Fluency in complex, geographical enquiry and the ability to apply questioning skills, as well as effective presentation techniques;
• The ability to reach clear conclusions and explain their findings;
• Excellent fieldwork skills as well as other geographical aptitudes and techniques;
• The ability to express well-balanced opinions, rooted in very good knowledge and understanding about current issues in society and the environment, particularly those relating to climate change and sustainability;

We hope that these concepts will enable Decoy pupils to understand their world, their role in it and their associated responsibilities. Our curriculum will instil in pupils, a sense of being a custodian of the planet and an understanding of how to be world citizens who take action to reduce climate change and the negative impacts this is having on our wonderful world.

Children are inspired to be geographers by taking part in field-trips with a clear geographical purpose and experience. There is a comprehensive menu of trips throughout their time at Decoy Community Primary School.

Impact

We hope that Decoy pupils will leave the school with an understanding of the world around them and a lifelong curiosity for  people and places in it. We hope this engagement with their world will foster a passion for looking after and protecting our planet.