Geography Curriculum
Geography
Our geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should equip 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. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the framework and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
AIMS
Our curriculum for geography aims to ensure that all pupils:
- develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes
- understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time
- are competent in the geographical skills needed to:
- collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes
- interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
- communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length
SUBJECT CONTENT
Key stage 1
Pupils will develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality during their learning in key stage 1. They should understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.
Pupils should be taught to:
Locational knowledge
- name and locate the world’s 7 continents and 5 oceans
- name, locate and identify characteristics of the 4 countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas
Place knowledge
- understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the United Kingdom, and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country
Human and physical geography
- identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles
- use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to:
- key physical features, including: beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather
- key human features, including: city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour and shop
Geographical skills and fieldwork
- use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage
- use simple compass directions (north, south, east and west) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far, left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map
- use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key
- use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment
Key stage 2
In Key Stage 2, teaching extends the children’s knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They should develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge.
Pupils should be taught to:
Locational knowledge
- locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities
- name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time
- identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)
Place knowledge
- understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region in North or South America
Human and physical geography
- describe and understand key aspects of:
- physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle
- human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water
Geographical skills and fieldwork
- use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
- use the 8 points of a compass, 4- and 6-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world
- use fieldwork to observe, measure record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies
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Whole school Geography Curriculum Overview |
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Autumn Term 1 |
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Year 1 Spatial Sense: Around my school |
Year 2 Spatial Sense: Maps and globes |
Year 3 Spatial Sense |
Year 4 Spatial Sense |
Year 5 Spatial Sense |
Year 6 Spatial Sense |
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1. Aerial Views 2. Maps 3. Location 4. Compass Points 5. What makes a good map? 6. Drawing maps |
1. My School Site 2. Drawing a map of my school 3. Maps of the local area 4. Using maps to plan a route 5. Identifying locations on a globe or world map 6. Assessment |
1. Map, compasses and symbols 2. Four and six figure grid references 3. Fieldwork – The local area 4. A contrasting locality (Human Geography) 5. A contrasting locality (Physical Geography) 6. Assessment
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1. Globes and the tropics 2. Scale 3. Grid references 4. Our local area 5. Our local area – Changes over time 6. Assessment |
1. Maps: Dividing the world into sections 2. Eastern and western hemispheres 3. Maps: Using co-ordinates to locate places 4. Maps: Drawn to different scales 5. Relief maps 6. Assessment |
1. Latitude and longitude 2. The Arctic and Antarctic circles 3. Time zones 4. Map projection 5. Maps of the world 6. Assessment |
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Autumn Term 2 |
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Year 1 * |
Year 2 * |
Year 3 Settlements |
Year 4 Mediterranean Europe |
Year 5 Mountains |
Year 6 British Geographical Issues |
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N / A |
N / A |
1. Settlements 2. Types of settlements 3. Urban, Rural and Suburban areas 4. Population Density 5. Sites and situations of local settlements 6. Assessment |
1. Key places in Europe 2. Climate of Mediterranean Europe 3. Food and farming 4. Landscape 5. Settlements 6. Assessment |
1. Mountains 2. The alps 3. The high peaks of the Himalayas 4. American mountains 5. African mountains 6. assessment |
1. Air pollution 2. Climate change 3. Waste 4. Litter 5. Local context 6. Assessment |
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Spring 1 |
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Year 1 The UK |
Year 2 The British Isles |
Year 3 Rivers |
Year 4 Eastern Europe |
Year 5 British Geography East Anglia, The midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside |
Year 6 North America |
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1. The four countries in the United Kingdom 2. Scotland 3. Wales 4. Northern Ireland 5. England 6. Assessment |
1. The British Isles and England 2. Scotland 3. Wales 4. Ireland 5. A comparison with cape town 6. Assessment |
1. What is a river? 2. Rivers of Europe 3. Rivers of Africa 4. Rivers Asia 5. Rivers of Australia, South America and North America 6. Assessment |
1. Key places in Eastern Europe 2. Climate of Eastern Europe (graphs, rain fall, temperature variation, distance from equator) 3. Physical features of eastern Europe 4. Compare and contrast physical features (with UK Moscow/London) 5. Compare and contrast human features (with UK Moscow/London) 6. Assessment
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1. East Anglia – Physical geography 2. East Anglia – land use 3. The midlands- settlements 4. Yorkshire and Humberside – physical Geography 5. Yorkshire and Humberside – Human Geography 6. Assessment |
1. The Countries of North America 2. Environmental Regions of North America 3. Rivers in North America 4. Cities in North America 5. Comparison of The UK and a region of North America 6. Assessment
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Spring 2 |
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Year 1 * |
Year 2 * |
Year 3 UK Geography: The south west |
Year 4 UK Geography: Northern Ireland |
Year 5 Australia |
Year 6 South America |
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1. Introduction to the South West 2. Coastal areas and erosion 3. Landmarks and tourism 4. Agriculture and climate 5. Change over time 6. Assessment |
1. An Introduction to Northern Ireland 2. Visiting Northern Ireland 3. Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the partition 4. The Giant’s Causeway 5. The Marble Arch Caves 6. Assessment |
1. Australia- location and physical geography 2. The history of Australia 3. Settlements 4. Climate 5. Biodiversity 6. Assessment |
1. An introduction to South America 2. Past civilisations and empires 3. The Andes Mountains and the Atacama Desert 4. Brazil (Agriculture and Industry) 5. The Amazon Rainforest 6. Assessment |
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Summer 1 |
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Year 1 The seven continents |
Year 2 Northern Europe |
Year 3 Western Europe |
Year 4 UK Geography: London and the south East |
Year 5 New Zealand and the south Pacific |
Year 6 Africa |
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1. Introduction to the Seven Continents 2. Europe 3. Antarctica 4. Africa 5. Asia 6. North and South America 7. Australia |
1. Countries in Northern Europe 2. Human and physical features of Northern Europe 3. Climate in Northern Europe 4. Animals found in Northern Europe 5. Roald Amundsen 6. Assessment |
1. Countries and Settlements in Western Europe 2. Climate of Western Europe 3. Trade in Western Europe- What do people make, buy and sell? 4. France 5. A comparison of London and Paris 6. Assessment: Essay Question |
1. Introduction to the South East (Counties) 2. London 3. Canterbury 4. Brighton 5. Dover 6. Assessment |
1. New Zealand and the South Pacific- location and physical geography 2. The history of New Zealand- The Maori 3. Earthquakes 4. Climate, biomes and animals 5. South Pacific Islands 6. Assessment
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1. The Continent of Africa 2. Past civilisations and empires – Mansa Musa 3. The Sahara Desert and Desertification 4. Food Security 5. Kenya 6. Assessment |
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Summer 2 |
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Year 1
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Year 2
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Year 3
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Year 4
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Year 5
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Year 6
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Below are the knowledge organisers for Geography that we use within school. The children are given these when they are doing their learning to help them with new language and understanding.
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
