Geography helps our children make sense of the world: its places, its people and the way they are connected. We strive for our pupils to be curious about the world beyond their doorstep, to care about the environment and to understand that their choices can make a difference to the planet they will inherit. By exploring natural and human processes, children learn to make thoughtful decisions as active global citizens, directly linked to our Christian values and ethos.

Our curriculum starts close to home and moves outwards. Children begin in the Early Years and Key Stage 1 by exploring people in our community, our school grounds and the local Ponteland area, before expanding their knowledge to the United Kingdom, Europe, and contrasting regions in South America and other parts of our wonderful world.

Each term, pupils develop their knowledge and skills in three key areas. In each geography unit, children revisit these areas through carefully identified enquiry questions that underpin the core aspects of their learning:

               Physical Geography                        Human Geography           Locational Knowledge and Mapping Skills

Physical Geography

Children build upon their understanding of physical landmarks at both a local and global level. They learn about the impact of rainforests, mountain ranges, volcanoes, earthquakes, biomes and climate or vegetation belts. This learning is sequenced to ensure children build on their knowledge in a logical manner, extending the depth of their understanding as they progress through school.

Human Geography

Children consider how land features and barriers have influenced settlers of the past and reflect upon how natural resources have shaped the landscape of human geography today. They examine population densities and draw comparisons between different countries around the world. Children study the distribution of natural resources, including energy, food, minerals and water. Our curriculum encourages children to explore inequalities in the world, environmental factors and technological advancements that play a key role in the changing landscape of modern geography.

Locational Knowledge and Mapping Skills

Our carefully sequenced curriculum builds upon children’s understanding of the world by making connections of scale from a local to a global level. During their time at Richard Coates CE Primary School, children become familiar with key geographical terms including latitude, longitude, the Equator, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles.

Children are encouraged to engage with a range of maps, becoming confident in locating places using four- and six-figure grid references, symbols and keys. Learning is planned with an enquiry-led focus to allow children to actively investigate their local surroundings through fieldwork. Children create maps and charts to present physical and human features of their locality, sharing their findings through a variety of sketch maps, charts and graphs.

Fieldwork and Assessment

Fieldwork is an essential part of our approach, so children regularly get outside to observe, measure, record and draw conclusions about real places, from our local surroundings to regional rivers and energy sources in Northumberland. Every child is supported to take part in fieldwork and geographical enquiry, with tasks carefully adapted so that all can succeed and those ready for more are challenged to analyse and evaluate. Assessment for learning ensures support is tailored to individual needs, with regular revisits to consolidate core knowledge.