Why We Study Geography
Geography is essential in order for children to receive a well-rounded and high-quality education. When taught to a high standard, children are inspired to develop their own knowledge about the world around them for the rest of their lives. At Broughton Primary School, pupils are taught about the diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments in the world around them. This is crucial to allow children to understand that throughout life they will encounter different societies and cultures thus giving them a strong understanding about the different nations and how they rely on each other. Having this knowledge inspires our pupils to think about their own place in the world; their values and their rights and responsibilities to other people and the environment. Being empowered with this knowledge leads to children becoming independent and thoughtful adults.
Geography provokes and answers questions about the natural and human worlds, using different scales of enquiry to view them from different perspectives. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge of the world helps them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between human and physical processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geography has a vital focus within the curriculum for understanding and resolving issues about the environment and its sustainable development. With the skills learnt: reading, analysing and producing maps; a range of problem solving and investigation skills both indoors and outdoors and collecting, examining and communicating geographical data, pupils are equipped for adult life and future employment.
How We Teach Geography
During their education pupils will gain fundamental skills through a range of experiences. Geography in our school will enable children to develop their spatial awareness of the globe through a growing range of enquiry skills. Throughout pupils time at Broughton Primary School we aim for pupils to:
- Develop a contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places-both terrestrial and marine;
- Identify key physical and human geographical features of the world;
- Collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes;
- Interpret geographical information including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems;
- Communicate geographical information in a variety of ways including maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length;
- Increase knowledge of other cultures and how to be a progressive citizen in a multi-cultural country; and
- Develop research skills, and evaluate material to formulate thought provoking questions and opinions.
We recognise to succeed in pupils achieving these aims we need to use a variety of teaching and learning styles in our geography lessons. We offer children opportunity to engage in enquiry based research activities to investigate their own geographical questions. Children have access to a variety of data such as maps, statistics, graphs, pictures and aerial photographs as well technology to enhance their learning. Pupils will also have opportunity to develop and communicate their own data by creating maps, numerical and quantitative data or by writing at length. We firmly believe that equipping children with these skills they will be able to reflect on their own environment and make well-informed choices in the future.
In the Foundation Stage, geography plays a significant contribution to children aged 4-5 achieving their Early Learning Goals. Children will develop their understanding of the wider world through play and opportunity to explore as well as partaking in adult led activities. Pupils will be given opportunity to express similarities between their own families and other families around the world as well as learning about different communities, traditions and celebrations in the world. Children will be taught about their immediate environment through exploration in our outdoor area as well as finding out about other environments and how they vary from one to another. We encourage children to be inquisitive about the world around them and ask questions about things that intrigue them.
In Key Stage 1, pupils will investigate their local area and a contrasting non-European country, finding out about the environment in both areas and the people who live there. Children will be able to identify the difference between physical and human features and begin using geographical skills. To do this successfully we allow children to carry out geographical enquiry inside and outside the classroom. In doing this, they ask geographical questions about people, places and environments, and use geographical skills and resources, such as maps and photographs.
In Key Stage 2, pupils investigate a variety of people, places and environments in the United Kingdom and other countries, and start to make links between different places in the world. Pupils will be explicitly taught how people affect the environment and how they are affected by it. Children will have opportunity to extend their own learning by carrying out geographical enquiry inside and outside the classroom. In doing this, they ask geographical questions, and use geographical skills and resources, such as maps, atlases, aerial photographs and ICT. Children will develop geographical enquiry skills, including asking geographical questions, collecting and recording information and identifying different views. They will acquire the appropriate practical skills associated with Geography, including using suitable vocabulary, fieldwork techniques and maps, plans and atlases. Pupils will use secondary sources of information with accuracy, including aerial photographs, satellite images, etc. As well as making its own distinctive contribution to the school curriculum, geography contributes to the wider aims of primary education. Children will be given as many opportunities as possible for fieldwork during school visits and in their own town.
What Is Special About Geography In Our School
At Broughton Primary School we excite and entice children about the world around them by giving their education a purpose. We believe that by giving children as many opportunities as possible to demonstrate and apply their skills it will give them the best success for their future. It is important for children to see and experience that everything they’re learning is for a purpose.
One of the most successful ways we do this is by celebrating Commonwealth Day, we extend this appropriately to give children optimum chance to explore and discover information about the country assigned to their year group. Children will present their findings onto a passport and celebrate with a party dedicated to their country. Throughout this experience each year children will begin to recognise the diversity of the world around them. We hope in inspires children to learn about different sites around the world or perhaps aspire to visit them in the future.
We allow pupils to put into practice the many skills they have acquired throughout their education with exciting school trip opportunities. In Year 5 children are given many opportunities to collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork during their annual trip to Robin Hood’s Bay. With the skills we equip the children with it gives their education a purpose to demonstrate them in real life and to see how they’re used in real life. With this opportunity it allows children to demonstrate collaborative teamwork, motivating them to discover their own strengths and areas of development within a team and learn from one another.