Geography

Geography Curriculum at Thingwall

Intent

In relation to the National Curriculum 2014 and our school pledge to protect our planet, our aim at Thingwall is to ensure children develop an enquiring mind, explore the world, locally, nationally and worldwide so that they can form their own opinions and ideas to help improve our world of the future.

 For this to happen, our intent is to provide a geography curriculum for all pupils so that they can:-

•  develop contextual knowledge our locality being on the Wirral Peninsula; the physical and human influences of the water ways such as The River Dee, The River Mersey, The Irish Sea, the River Birkett, River Fender and Arrow Brook; the physical and human influences of Thor’s Rock, Birkenhead Park, The Wirral Way, The Wirral Coastal Walk and the boundaries to North Wales, Chester and Liverpool.
• 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 such as The Isle of Man, Plastic Oceans, Fair Trade and farming in the British Isles.
• 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- looking at the seven continents and five oceans of world, climate changes.
• are competent in the geographical skills needed to: collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes
• interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
• communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length, field trip experiences.

Implementation

In order for our children develop an enquiring mind, explore the world, locally, nationally and worldwide so that they can form their own opinions and ideas to help improve our world of the future we aim to implement a curriculum that weaves three aspects throughout all units:-

1.       -submersion of a wide range of appropriate geographical vocabulary-written and spoken; language modelled by teachers and used and applied by pupils with purpose in lessons;
2.       -promotion of questions and answer enquiry led themes that bare relevance to children’s own lives, issues affecting our locality and beyond in the wider world;
3.       -regular revision of prior knowledge or ‘sticky knowledge’ to help make connections, compare differences and similarities, variation and change over time to show a purpose for learning.

The implementation of the Geography National Curriculum units will provide opportunities for children to:-

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

For this to flourish, staff at Thingwall endeavour to plan for effective teaching in Geography following guidance from The Department for Education’s Geography Programs of Study 2014 (Key stage 1&2) and EYFS Profile ELGs 13 & 14~people and communities and the world.  The subject is considered as a single subject in KS1 & 2 of skills and knowledge called Geography, not Humanities. However, at times History and Geography may intertwine at stages of exploration as the two may affect each other. Other cross curricular opportunities may also intertwine, notably Maths and science.

Geography planning includes:

•  A whole School Long Term Map which incorporates a gradual progression of skills in compass and mapwork, local fieldwork foci around the Wirral Peninsula, weather foci, location of landmarks locally, in other counties and regions, across oceans and continents and deeper studies that compare and contrast different locations around the world. Additionally, we have a whole school project Coast2Country in the summer term in conjunction with our soft federation schools, local business and Ranger services where we contribute to making our local communities more environmental friendly.
• Medium Term Plans are written in detail so that they can be used as Short Term Plans with annotation. Wherever possible, lessons will open with a question for children to discuss, explore or investigate.  Before an entire unit has been planned for, staff will offer an opportunity to discuss what children may want to explore further and a chance for existing knowledge to be observed to inform future planning.
• Short Term Plans are annotations on Medium Term Plans These plans ensure that all children can access the geography curriculum, taking into account all ages and abilities with regard to the principles of inclusion. Additional support or extension is also annotated here on the Short Term Plan.
• Marking will refer to the geographical learning intention of the lesson; where aspects of geography is planned in a cross-curricular approach, a decision will be made whether marking is for geographical skills or other E.G: maths data handling, science- cause and effect etc.
• Using the locality to deliver geographical knowledge and pursue skills will be planned as much as possible to make learning relevant.
• Outside specialists or educational visits are planned when possible for an enriched unit- guest speakers, secondary school specialists, Ranger service, local businesses, local farms, Chester Zoo etc. Outside agencies will also be invited to participate in our summer term Coast2 Country community projects.

Teaching and Learning styles

A variety of teaching methods will be used in the implementation of the geography curriculum from whole class teaching to small group activities.  A significant number of activities should be investigative in nature and linked to personal experience or locality wherever possible to make learning relevant and in perspective of the wider world. Children will be encouraged to plan and carry out their own research using, where appropriate, a wide range of resources including:

•   written sources, such as books, archive records, aerial maps, ordinance survey grids, Google Earth, photographs, artefacts, measuring equipment such as air quality filters, sensors, wind gauges and computing resources.
•   Fieldwork on placement EG: looking at local soils, rocks, rivers, weather climates, significant Wirral landmarks in parks, coastal paths, Hilbre Island and residential trips to Burwardsley and North Wales.

Pupils will be encouraged to:

•   consider possible reasons for cause, change and effect upon physical and human geography
•   raise relevant questions through whole school VIPERS approach
•   communicate and record their findings orally, visually, in writing and be given opportunities, where appropriate, to develop and apply their computing skills
•   discuss and debate issues

Adaptations for SEND:

Teachers planning for inclusive lessons must take account of the range of abilities within the cohort of children and adapt planning and delivery with flexibility. Abilities will be different and changeable. The extent of challenge will vary for individuals with special educational needs. In many cases the action necessary to respond to individual requirements will be met through adaption of tasks where learning is supported and scaffolded into smaller steps either by adult intervention, word banks, stem sentences, buddy partners, scribes, IT or visual and kineaesthic approaches; and where necessary- pre-teaching. Teachers will modify, as necessary the N.C. programmes of study and ELG 13 & 14 to provide all pupils with relevant and appropriately challenging work at each Key Stage.

Impact

The impact of delivering this geography curriculum will show a development of skills and knowledge as children advance through the primary age.

 ‘By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study. ‘   (DfE 2014).

We aim for at least 80% of each cohort meeting age related expectations by the end of the academic year.