Subject Leader: Miss Warner

Intent

At Meadlands, we deliver a high-quality geography education that inspires pupils to develop fascination and curiosity about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Pupils' geographical learning starts with the familiar, and slowly builds outwards, from London, to the UK, to Europe, to the Americas and Asia and then the 7 continents of the world. Their understanding of how their local area fits into the wider world is therefore gradually accrued. Our teaching equips pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.

"The study of geography is about more than just memorizing places on a map. It's about understanding the complexity of our world, appreciating the diversity of cultures that exists across continents. And in the end, it's about using all that knowledge to help bridge divides and bring people together.” 

Barack Obama.

Implementation

Teaching

Geography is taught in blocks with this model promoting the achievement of a greater depth of understanding by its end. Our curriculum is mapped to ensure alignment with the national curriculum content and programme of study. It is arranged progressively across year groups so that the units are taught starting with the familiar and local geography then branching outwards. Teachers have identified the key knowledge and skills of each unit and these are mapped across the school ensuring that knowledge builds progressively and that children develop skills systematically. This progression is shown on our geography subject Knowledge Organisers, which detail geographical knowledge, skills and enquiry and acquisition of key subject specific vocabulary. As each unit of geography progresses, children fill in a Learning Journey to recall and summarise what they have learned.

A working wall is used to support and celebrate learning, throughout each unit of work. It is also used to support the acquisition of key knowledge and subject specific geographical vocabulary.

Fieldwork

Fieldwork is an integral to good geography teaching and as stated by Ofsted ‘enhances the learning of geography’, by allowing children to experience geography first-hand – it engages and motivates. As such we utilise our extensive grounds and locality including Richmond Park and the River Thames for geographical fieldwork studies. Each class has at least one unit where fieldwork will deepen and enhance their learning.

Yearly Overviews

IMPACT

• Children will develop a love of and interest in local and world Geography, and be inspired to study the subject further
• Children will learn to respect and be an advocate for protecting our world
• Children will develop a good knowledge of and appreciation for their local area, and understand its place within the wider geographical context 
• Children will know more, remember more and understand more about locational, physical and human geography
• Children will understand and be able to build upon the key skills of geographical enquiry, map and fieldwork