Geography Curriculum Statement of Intent

At Westwood we offer a high quality, engaging Geography curriculum, which is taught in context through our adventure approach to learning. The curriculum offer has been well mapped out in order to ensure progression of the 4 key geographical concepts as outlined in the National Curriculum. The teaching of Geography remains highly established across school with Geography being a key driver for a number of adventures.

While at Westwood, children learn to become proud of their local community and the part they play in the diverse world around them. We aim to inspire pupils to become curious and fascinated about the world around them and the opportunities and possibilities this could bring them in their future.

Geographical Concepts

Below outlines the progression through the 4 key geographical concepts at Westwood:

Locational Knowledge

In Early Years, children begin to ask questions about where they live and become familiar with local landmarks. This is extended in Key Stage 1, where children travel to the 7 continents and through the 5 oceans. This gives them an increased sense of the world around them. In KS1, children also build upon their understanding of where they live by looking beyond Middleton and focusing on the 4 countries of the United Kingdom and their capital cities. In Lower Key Stage 2, their knowledge of countries within the United Kingdom are recapped and built upon by becoming aware of the different cities and regions throughout the UK. In LKS2, children also locate key European countries within their ‘Euromazing’ adventure, such as Greece and Italy. They also do a study of North America in their ‘American Dream’ adventure. In Upper Key Stage 2, children continue to develop their knowledge of key topographical features through their study of rivers around the world including the River Nile and River Aire. In UKS2, children locate some of the world’s countries, including Russia, Nepal and Brazil. Whilst visiting Rio de Janeiro and the Yorkshire Dales, children compare their physical and human characteristics and the impact of human activity in both of these areas. Children also drawn upon their map skills by locating countries based on lines of longitude and latitude and consider time zones, tropics and hemispheres.

Place Knowledge

In Early Years, we ensure children become familiar with their local environment and where they live (Middleton). This is built upon in Key Stage 1, where children are able to study the similarities and differences between a UK city (Leeds) and one in Africa (Nairobi). In Lower Key Stage 2, the children’s prior understanding is drawn upon when comparing and contrasting the UK (Leeds and London) with a region within a European country (Italy and Greece). In Upper Key Stage 2, children build upon their place knowledge by studying the wider world around them, in particular a region within South America (Rio and the Amazon).

Human and Physical

Within Early Years, the children explore the natural world and develop an interest in physical changes (seasons) which take place in their local environment. Children in Key Stage 1 build upon this knowledge by identifying seasonal and daily weather patterns of the UK as well as locating hot and cold areas of the world, such as Antarctica and Africa. In KS1, children’s geographical vocabulary is extended in relation to human and physical features. In Lower Key Stage 2, children develop a deeper understanding of the vocabulary learnt in Key Stage 1 regarding mountains, volcanoes and the water cycle in their 'The Abominable' adventure. In Upper Key Stage 2, children study volcanoes, earthquakes and rivers. Through the learning adventure ’Rio v Rainforests’ and ‘River Rescue’, children learn about natural resources, climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts with the Amazon and worldwide.

Geographical Skills and Fieldwork

In Early Years, children develop an early interest in nature in their local environment, such as where insects are found. In Key Stage 1, the children build upon this knowledge by using simple fieldwork and observational skills to help them when devising simple maps of their local area within their ‘Space Rescue’ adventure. They also begin to use compass directions and locational and directional language when finding hidden treasure in their ‘Shiver Me Timbers’ adventure. By using maps, atlases and globes children begin to have an understanding of where countries of the UK and continents and oceans of the world are located. Skills are continued to be built upon when children in Lower Key Stage 2 use atlases and globes to assist them in locating different locations studied, such as countries within the UK and Europe, North America and mountain ranges across the world. The children use eight points of a compass in their 'Euroamazing' adventure, when they travel around Europe. In Upper Key Stage 2, the children continue to develop their use of maps, atlases and computer mapping to locate the countries they are learning about and focus on key geographical features e.g. climate zones, biomes, vegetation belts, human and physical features, time zones, the position of countries and key rivers. Children in Upper Key Stage 2 also focus on their own surrounding areas in their ‘Yorkshire’ adventure. On their ‘Rocking All Over the World’ adventure, children locate key countries around the world noting their grid references from a map.

Wherever possible, our Geography curriculum is enhanced by trips, visitors and residentials, as this provides the real life experiences needed for our children and helps bring the curriculum to life. As Geography is a key driver for a number of adventures, children have the opportunity to consolidate their learning within geography through a number of subjects. This allows key vocabulary to be referred to regularly, which in turn supports children’s retention and allows them to apply their geographical knowledge in a range of ways leading to a deeper understanding of the subject. This also helps them understand the importance of their actions and the part they play in the diverse wider world around them.