Intent + Implementation

Curriculum

INTENT

Geography at Heene will nurture and develop our children’s curiosity of the place that they live, of the local area around them and the global society which they are a part of.

Our curriculum will equip our pupils with a rich knowledge of the countries and cultures of our planet. They will discover the impact of the environment on our world and the diversity which exists on it. Our children will develop their understanding of the physical and human world, by discovering the rich and varied features that exist within it. Geography is a voyage of discovery and we enable our pupils to search, locate and deepen their knowledge of these features that make our world by understanding the influence they have on our landscape, climate and environment. By studying different countries and regions of the world, they will have the opportunity to learn how physical processes work and how they influence where and how people live.

Geographical skills are developed from the very start of the Heene journey. Our children learn how to use e-maps photographs and diagrams to find and locate where they live and, and as they build their mapping skills, they use these to compare and contrast countries, regions and localities. This enables them to identify how the world is developing and constantly changing.

Globally-minded citizens are aware of the challenges that face our planet. Our curriculum will enable our children to learn about the challenges of climate change and the ways that a sustainable future can be achieved.

IMPLEMENTATION

EYFS

In Early Years our journey through geography begins. We start by focusing on our immediate surroundings and begin to develop knowledge about the area we are in. During this time there will be lots of discussion with the children about their personal experiences and interests to make the learning more personal for them. Through trips in our locality the children will experience real life changes happening throughout the seasons and are encouraged to ask questions about these changes. Once children have built some knowledge of their local area they then will use these skills to compare this to a different environment in another country. This will help deepen their understanding of the world in which we live and will create a solid foundation to be built upon in future years.

KS1

In KS1, children will build upon the foundation built during Early Years. They look in more detail at their local area and are introduced to more geographical terms such as human and physical features. Children will deepen their understanding of these terms through field work and this aims to help build curiosity about the world around them. While they are learning about the features around them they will also be learning about the importance of conserving green spaces and physical features for the benefit of plants, animals and people. During the year we plan for the children to build a wider knowledge of the world through the use of maps (both physical and digital), compasses and globes/atlases. They will compare their own experiences and areas with different places to help instil an understanding and appreciation of other locations, cultures and populations. Children will be encouraged to ask questions and start researching independently or in pairs to develop and satisfy their curiosity.

LKS2

In LKS2 children begin to widen their understanding of the world through the exploration of the physical and human world. They learn about the water cycle and its significance in the formation of rivers. They are introduced to the features of mountains and volcanos, how they are formed and where they are located around the world. Through their location studies of North America and Greece, children will develop their mapping skills so that they can compare the physical and human features of different continents with the area and locality in which they live. This will enable them to compare and contrast the impact of climate and human development on the natural world and the environment.

They will develop their awareness of the regions and counties of the United Kingdom, by studying the counties and major cities of the South-East of England and comparing our locality with London, a major world city. They will use digital mapping skills to identify and subsequently research the key human and physical features of this region. The children will use these skills to compare and contrast how Worthing has changed over time.

In Years 3 and 4, children begin to develop geographical enquiry skills. Opportunities are given for children to undertake fieldwork in our local area. The children will use data sources and graphs to create a journey through time of our school’s local area. They will use this to assess the impact of economic activity and human development in the local area.

UKS2

In UKS2, the children apply their geographical knowledge of Worthing and its surroundings to a study of how the town and the greater area has changed over time. The children will look at the impact that tourism and industry has had on the local area and economy and will assess whether human activity is a positive influence on our local environment.

They further their knowledge and understanding of the differences between continents and countries and the diverse nature of the globe through a study of Brazil. They learn about the geography of Brazil, its position in the South American region, the size of its population as well as its major physical features including the River Amazon. They will develop their understanding of human influences on the environment by assessing how the Brazilian rainforest is threatened and the effect that it has on the global climate.

Before they leave for secondary school, our Year 6 children will participate in a global study of fair trade. They will learn about fair trade and the global poverty by comparing and contrasting economic development in LEDC and MEDC countries. This will enable pupils to assess the environmental impact of world trade as a way to develop their understanding of our world economy and how sustainable it is. The children will have the opportunity to undertake their own research and to interview the clergy at St Matthew’s church about their projects in……….

In Year 6 our children will use their knowledge of volcanoes to better understand the role that plate tectonics play in earthquakes and natural disasters. They will investigate where the world’s major fault lines are in the world and how an earthquake is triggered. They will undertake a geographical investigation into how a country prepares its citizens for a major earthquake. The children will study the design of earthquake buildings and compare their ability to withstand a major disaster with more traditional buildings. As well as designing their own earthquake proof building, they will study how people learn how to live with the threat of disaster and what their earthquake readiness is like. They will assess the impact of an earthquake and learn how people survive and rebuild after a natural disaster.