Geography

Think like geographers

Our Geography curriculum aims to inspire pupils to become curious and explorative thinkers with a diverse knowledge of the world – in other words, to think like geographers. The intention is for pupils to develop the confidence to question and observe places, measure and record necessary data in a variety of ways and analyse and present their findings.

The curriculum aims to build an awareness of how Geography shapes lives at multiple scales and over time. The hope is to encourage pupils to become resourceful, active citizens who will have the skills to contribute to and improve the world around them.

The curriculum is designed to be both accessible and ambitious for mixed age classes, ensuring all learners’ full participation and potential achievement.

The four strands

The National curriculum organises the attainment targets for Geography under:

Strand No.

01. Locational knowledge

Developing pupils’ sense of place and identity; developing an appreciation of distance and scale; and learning about the orientation of the world.

Strand No.

02. Place knowledge

Locating physical areas on maps and attaching meaning to these spaces so they becomes ‘places’.

Strand No.

03. Human and physical geography

Describing and explaining different environments and their formation.

Strand No.

04. Geographical skills and fieldwork

Interpreting spacial representations including maps, globes and atlases to develop a sense of place.

Our Geography curriculum has been planned with these strands running through each unit, ensuring balanced coverage of the different areas of Geography and both substantive and disciplinary knowledge.

Personal Development in Geography

SMSC

The curriculum supports SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) development by encouraging children to:

  • Explore different perspectives.
  • Reflect on ethical issues.
  • Collaborate with others.
  • Appreciate cultural diversity through subject-specific content.

British values

Lessons promote British values (democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance) by incorporating activities that encourage debate, respect for differing opinions and an understanding of societal structures.

Cultural capital

Our Geography curriculum broadens children’s experiences by introducing them to key figures, historical and geographical contexts and diverse traditions. It ensures they gain the knowledge and skills needed to engage meaningfully in society.

Spiral Curriculum

Our Geography scheme incorporates a spiral curriculum model, ensuring that pupils revisit and develop their understanding of key themes and concepts as they progress.

This approach allows them to make meaningful connections, reinforce their learning and achieve mastery over time.

  • Revisiting key concepts – pupils encounter the same ideas multiple times throughout their education, with each revisit adding more complexity.
  • Progressive depth – concepts are not just repeated but expanded upon, helping pupils to make connections and develop a richer understanding over time.
  • Knowledge retention – regular exposure to key ideas strengthens memory and prevents knowledge from being forgotten.
  • Skill development – pupils refine and apply their skills in different contexts, improving their ability to think critically and solve problems.
  • Adaptive learning – by building on prior knowledge, the curriculum meets pupils at their current level and supports all learners, including those who need extra reinforcement and those who are ready for greater challenges.

 Assessment

Formative

Our Geography lessons include ongoing assessment opportunities, such as questioning, retrieval practice and interactive activities. These enable teachers to assess understanding in real time and adapt their teaching accordingly.

These enable teachers to assess understanding in real time and adapt their teaching accordingly.

Summative

Each unit provides an Assessment quiz and Knowledge catcher, which allow teachers to measure pupils’ understanding at key points.These tools help gauge how well pupils have retained key knowledge and skills over time.

These tools help gauge how well pupils have retained key knowledge and skills over time.

Please find useful links below

Geography – Long term plan
Geography - Long term plan
Geography – Progression of Skills and Knowledge
Geography - Progression of Skills and Knowledge

Should you have any questions about the curriculum, please contact Mr Joseph via info@thelight-school.org

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