GEOGRAPHY

Subject Leader: Mrs C Allport

Geography Vision

At Heygarth, we believe that from the moment we are born, we instinctively use our senses to explore the world around us.  This curiosity and fascination about our surroundings is encouraged and developed on entering school to ensure all children develop a greater understanding of the peoples and cultures that inhabit our world.  This in turn, will lead children to gain a deeper respect for all aspects of the diverse planet we live on.  We want our children to be inquisitive, inspired and enthused and eager to ask questions about their immediate surroundings and those much further afield and to be able to identify similarities and differences between themselves and those from other cultures.

Our school aims to encourage children to develop a sense of environmental responsibility – not just locally but also globally.  Small tasks like collecting litter or turning lights off when leaving a room are just two examples of how the children take care of their immediate environment. From a very young age, the children are seeing the contributions they can make to protect our world. 

Geography Rationale

Our Geography curriculum focuses on the acquisition of knowledge and the development of specific geographical skills. The immediate area is regularly revisited and trips to the wider area of Merseyside take place. Children use geographical equipment including compasses as well as atlases and OS maps. As the children work through the curriculum they gain a greater understanding of their local area, the UK, Europe and the World. Many of the areas of study link to our Core Reading Texts.

EYFS - children begin their ‘geography’ learning by using their immediate surroundings and therefore have a hands on approach. This is developed through the EYFS framework, with an emphasis on ‘Understanding of the World’. The children progress by drawing simple maps and starting to identify similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries. They witness and discuss the natural changes that occur around them, including the four seasons.

Initially, in Key Stage 1 (Year 1) the children learn through ‘continuous provision’. They build up knowledge about where they live, along with the appropriate vocabulary to describe their immediate surroundings. Fieldwork is carried out throughout the year. Towards the end of Year 1, the children learn about Australia. In Year 2 the children learn about The Gambia, in Africa. This is linked to the literacy focus ‘Amazing Grace’. They compare Banjul with Birkenhead - identifying similarities and differences. A local study of ‘Eastham Woods’ ensures the children are gaining more knowledge of their own area.

Year 3 have the opportunity to expand on their knowledge of the local area by carrying out detailed studies on the UK and Europe. They identify similarities and differences between human and physical landmarks and compare regions of Europe. Year 4 take the opportunity of building on the knowledge of Europe by touching on Greece and Italy through their history focuses on Ancient Greece and the Romans. They also study Natural Disasters and Rivers

In Year 5 and 6, children extend their knowledge beyond these regions to study world geography. The focuses are on North and South America. Children gain a greater understanding of both the physical and human features including biomes, trade links and natural resources.

Careful consideration has been given to the planning of the geography curriculum. The children start with their immediate surroundings and this allows them to develop a good understanding of their home and school environments and builds a sense of community. As they progress through school the UK and Europe is explored, allowing the children to broaden their horizons. By the time the children reach the end of Key Stage 2, the curriculum will have helped them develop a love for the subject of geography and also recognise their own role in becoming responsible global citizens.

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