Geography
Without geography, you're nowhere
Intent
The teaching of Geography at St. Thomas of Canterbury is to promote a love of learning of the subject. We aim to inspire a curiosity, interest, respect and appreciation for the world around them and their place in it. The curriculum enables children to develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and which can and are used to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
Children are encouraged to ask questions, explore and research topics in this investigative subject area. Geographical enquiry is developed by using maps, compasses as well as ICT skills that are transferrable to other subject areas.
Children can develop their knowledge and vocabulary through studying places, people, the human and physical environment and have an understanding of their place within it.
They have a good understanding of knowledge of places by learning about Walsall, the surrounding areas, Britain, other countries and the world. Children also develop geographical skills through field work.
We seek to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives, equipping them well for further education and beyond.
Implementation
Geography at St. Thomas of Canterbury is taught as a series of outstanding lessons sequenced to reflect the diversity and variety of backgrounds and cultures of the children in our school.
Each year group beginning with key map knowledge and skills. The knowledge, skills, concepts and vocabulary are mapped across school to ensure progression and challenge in carefully sequenced lessons. Existing knowledge is checked ensuring that teaching is informed by the children’s starting points. At the end of each topic, key knowledge is reviewed by the children and rigorously checked by the teacher and consolidated as necessary.
We use knowledge organisers to ensure children can see the bigger picture of what is going to be taught at the beginning of the topic and continue to reflect and re-cap on what has been learnt. Knowledge and understanding are continually reviewed. Questions such as why do Geographers read and how do we write like a Geographer are addressed. Children are given enquiry questions so they will think like a geographer – question & explain (disciplinary knowledge).
Local area studies and field work encourage children to develop critical thinking skills and give ownership to their learning. Including independent research as part of the curriculum promotes knowledge and understanding of environmental and economic concepts.
Impact
Using a variety of monitoring of the subject (including Pupil voice) it is clear that the children have a real desire to find out about the world.
Outcomes evidence a broad and balanced geography curriculum and demonstrate children’s acquisition of identified key knowledge relating to each of the identified national curriculum strands, as appropriate to key stage; locational knowledge, place knowledge and human and physical geography.
The children at St. Thomas of Canterbury are capable of using their geographical knowledge in other subjects and are ready for the next stage in their education.
The teaching of Geography makes our children responsible global citizens - the children develop their social, moral, spiritual and cultural skills looking at different languages, celebrating different cultures and supporting areas in need.
Enrichment
Children at St. Thomas of Canterbury have access to a wide range of high-quality physical and computer-based resources such as Atlases, maps and globes.
The children attend expert-led field trips including ones to Severn Trent water and Hoo Zoo where climate is discussed relating to the different animals.
The local area is promoted throughout the whole school ranging from use of the school grounds, the local shopping area, landmarks that are nearby and Walsall Arboretum. Within school activities such as orienteering also take place.
Spiritual, moral, social, vocational and cultural development is promoted through projects on climate change (Catholic Social Teaching) supporting local and global communities in need (shoe boxes for the needy, collected medical and toiletry supplies for the people of the Ukraine.