Early Years
The teaching of Geography at St Joseph’s begins in Reception through the Understanding of the World. Based on the requirements of the EYFS framework and guided by Development Matters, children start to explore the world around them, developing a sense of place, an appreciation of their local environment and a curiosity about people, places and cultures across the world.
Curriculum Design
At St Joseph’s, we aim to inspire curiosity and fascination about the world by equipping 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.
Each year, the children study two units each linked either to World Geography or UK Geography. Clear and progressive sequences of learning based on the National Curriculum ensure that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught before. Discrete lessons are delivered with learning blocked to allow for clear progression in the acquisition of knowledge and the development of skills, built on prior learning. Knowledge Organisers provide and illustrate specific key knowledge and vocabulary that we want all children to understand and use fluently.
Children are encouraged to utilise skills acquired in other areas of the curriculum, particularly maths, and are also provided with opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding through extended pieces of writing.
Field Work
Practical field work is an integral part of our curriculum securing knowledge through experience and honing geographical skills and as such is undertaken in every year group.
This begins in Reception by exploring our school environment and develops across KS1 and KS2 to include more in depth study of our local area.
Trips further afield also provide our children with opportunities to experience visiting the Sefton Coast, to explore Huyton Wetlands and to follow the progress of the River Alt from its nearby source, across Knowsley, Liverpool and Sefton until it joins the sea.
Mastery of Key Concepts
At St Joseph’s, our curriculum is designed to develop our children’s mastery of four key strands, as outlined in the National Curriculum. These are:
- Geographical Knowledge
- Geographical Understanding
- Map Skills
- Field Work
Key concepts within these strands have been identified to ensure they are revisited, embedded and progressively developed in each year group. These concepts are:
- Place
- Locality
- Environment
- Climate
- Physical Geography
- Human Geography
End Points
At the end of each unit, a task is set that allows the children to demonstrate their key knowledge and vocabulary for that unit. This can be in the form of a quiz, a small project, a poster showing what they have learnt. As we move into upper KS2, this can be a more formal piece of writing.
Assessment and Monitoring
Teachers assess children at the end of each unit through end points. These assessments are used to check what children have learnt and remembered to ensure pupils have remembered what we intended them to learn.
End points are evidenced through a range of ways including activities in children’s books, and photos and videos uploaded to Seesaw (KS1/KS2) or Tapestry (EYFS).
Assessment data is submitted by the class teacher and monitored by the Subject Leader, who uses this data to ensure teaching is targeted and appropriate for each pupil, class and year group, as well as to feedback on progress to SLT.
Documentation
Geography News
