Geography

INTENT

At Sussex Road, through our Geography curriculum, we aim to foster a deep understanding and appreciation of the world, its diverse cultures, environments, and human societies and to create a life-long love of the subject. Through the study of natural and human environments, as well as physical and human processes, our desire is to provide our children with a sense of awe and wonder about the world they live in. As they continue their ‘journey of Geography’, we aim to foster a deep understanding of the subject that develops alongside their geographical skills. Our aim is that our children go on to apply these skills across all subjects, as well as in their futures beyond Sussex Road. Our curriculum is designed to provide our children with the subject-specific language they need to describe, question and discuss the world, as well as their place in it. Our pupils are encouraged to recognise that they have a voice and to use it confidently to debate topics that they feel passionate about, for example, deforestation or renewable energy. We aim to produce well-rounded individuals by providing our children with opportunities to expand their cultural capital and experiences of the world.  

Emotional geography has a profound impact on the development of our students. It goes beyond traditional geographical concepts, extending into the realm of feelings, empathy, and a sense of connection to the world. We believe that fostering emotional geography is crucial in nurturing well-rounded individuals who not only understand the physical and cultural aspects of the world but also develop a deep appreciation for the emotional landscapes that shape their experiences. 

IMPLEMENTATION

Based upon the National Curriculum and the individual needs of our children, we have created a Geography progression map, which sets out the objectives taught in each year group. Skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children. Existing knowledge is checked at the start of each new topic. This ensures that teaching is informed by the children's starting points and takes account of pupil voice. Lesson content and tasks are designed to provide appropriate challenge to all learners, in line with our commitment to inclusion. It is important that children develop the skills of a geographer by fully immersing them in all areas of the subject. The local area is fully utilised to achieve desired outcomes, with opportunities for learning outside the classroom. School trips and fieldwork are provided to give first-hand experiences, which enhance children's understanding of the world beyond their locality. We use writing in Geography as an opportunity for children to showcase what they have learned and embed their knowledge. Maps are displayed throughout the school and teachers are encouraged to reference these when appropriate during all lessons to help to develop an awareness of the globe. Teachers use questioning and provide opportunities for discussion and investigation to support the development of vocabulary, which is explicitly taught and modelled by teachers in every lesson. Key geographical knowledge and language (such as, the name and location of continents, countries, capital cities and oceans) is revisited frequently, to make learning memorable, relevant and easy to retrieve. 

IMPACT

The impact of our Geography curriculum is measured in a variety of ways: it is regularly reviewed to ensure relevance and effectiveness; questioning during lesson time; marking children’s written work, listening to child-led discussion, interviewing pupils across the school about their learning, book trawls and using images/videos of children’s practical learning.  

If you visited a Geography lesson at Sussex Road Primary School you would see: 

• Children growing knowledge of the world and their place in it. 
• Children using a wider vocabulary of geographical terms.  
• Children aspiring to discover more about the world, through reading, travel or the media. 
• Children using their voice to express themselves and their opinions.  
• Children developing their geographical skills, such as, evaluation, creativity and problem solving  
• Children showing environmental responsibility and sustainability consciousness. 
• Children having a positive attitude towards enquiry, critical thinking and lifelong learning.