At Leigh Academy Tree Tops, the teaching of Geography enables pupils to develop an understanding of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environment, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. A variety of sources and fieldwork within our local area will develop knowledge and skills that are progressive, as well as transferable, enabling them to thrive in understanding the world, as well as their place and role within it. Geography enables pupils to learn about the world, including people, gaining geographical skills that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
Aims:
The National Curriculum for Geography aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Develop knowledge of where places are and what they are like.
- Develop an understanding of the ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected and how much human and physical environments are interrelated.
- Gain geographical knowledge and vocabulary.
- Reach clear conclusions and develop a reasoned argument to explain findings.
- Develop fieldwork and other geographical skills and techniques.
- Curiosity about the world and the people who live there.
- Ability to express well-balanced opinions, rooted in very good knowledge and understanding about current and contemporary issues in society and the environment.
- Understand geographical location of places and their physical and human features.
- Understanding the relationships between the physical features of places and the human activity within them
- Appreciation of how the world’s natural resources are used and transported.
- The subject leader for Geography will meet the senior leadership team and representatives from the Trust on a regular basis to evaluate provision in order to ensure that teaching and learning in Geography is outstanding. Where necessary, staff will receive coaching and training in Geography.
- Carefully designed, interleaved learning in Geography ensures consistency and progress of all learners.
- The vehicles which drive learning throughout the term is the central idea and associated lines of inquiry. Therefore, Geography is taught through these vehicles. Other ways of learning include by guest speakers who are specialists in their field, trips to businesses, fieldwork to relevant places of interest, innovative use of technology such as GPS mapping systems, to name but a few.
- Clearly defined end goals are set in order to guide children to achieve their potential. This ensures work is demanding and matches the aims of the curriculum while still fulfilling the requirements of a PYP approach.
- High quality teaching responds to the needs of children. Spiral learning is a key focus of all formative and summative assessment with teachers actively marking work in lessons in order to identify misconceptions early.
- High quality input from experts and educational resources complement the delivery of specialist learning admirably. Children understand how Geography is used in the wider world including careers.
- Learning is adapted and tailored to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND, through adaptive teaching; including guidance from the EEF (Education Endowment foundation). Educators incorporate explicit instruction, cognitive and metacognitive strategies, scaffolding, flexible grouping and use of technology into daily classroom practice to ensure access for all.
- Children are happy learners within Geography. They experience a wide range of learning challenges within the subject and know appropriate responses to them, such as informed choices regarding current environmental issues e.g. limiting the use of plastics.
- Through Geography, children deepen their appreciation of their faith and fulfil their potential. As part of the global community, they understand that they are called to look after and protect the world given to them.
- Visits within Geography have enriched the lives of the children and they are able to discuss how the experience impacted their knowledge and understanding.
- Children of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well in Geography reflected in outstanding progress that reveals a clear learning journey. Children talk enthusiastically about their learning in Geography and are eager to further their learning in the next stages of their education.
- There is a proven track record of the impact of deep learning.
- Clear outcomes focus and guide all Geography development plans and drive improvement.
- Fundamental British Values are evident in Geography and children understand how it can celebrate differences.
- Through wider reading in Geography, children will… develop a deep and consolidated knowledge and understanding of the curriculum with current real life examples. Children will develop an understanding of real world examples of: floods; earthquakes etc within their lifetime. Reading materials include horrible geographies; BBC bitesize; National Geographic; BBC news along with a range of library books tailored to children’s reading ages.
- Through this exposure, children will produce work that is influenced by the best of the best.
Each lesson will include live marking (as per the Marking and Feedback Policy). Homework is not formally set in geography but knowledge activities (both written and abstract) are encouraged to enhance enrichment opportunities; these may take the form of (but not limited to) reading geographical books, watching geographical programmes and visiting places of particular interest. High quality teaching responds to the needs of children. An assessment grid (the foundation skills assessment) is used to formally record an overview of progress of each child.
Children will learn about (and make visits to) areas of significant geographical interest such as The Weald of Kent. In addition, they will learn about famous geographers such as William Morris Davis and the knowledge about physical geography that Sir David Attenborough has shared through his work.