GEOGRAPHY

School intent statement:

To positively influence and support the development of socially, emotionally and academically successful children, who have enthusiastic curiosity and respect for the world.

Geography intent statement:

At Kingsfleet our aim is:

• to inspire pupils of all ages and abilities with a curiosity and excitement about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

• to support children to make connections between people and places, and understand how one influences the other, in the process developing investigative skills which will support the development of their perspective, judgement and critical thinking. This enriches both their academic and personal life.

• to help pupils, with a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, understand their place in it and so learn more about themselves as individuals and members of society.

Implementation:

The essential concepts of geography are: people, place, people/place interactions, interconnections, interdependence, processes (both human and physical), patterns (human and physical, repeating and spatial) and the environment, incorporating personal perceptions, change and sustainable development/stewardship and conservation.

The Geography curriculum at Kingsfleet is structured into four key areas of learning:

· geographical skills and field work

· human and physical geography

· locational knowledge

· place knowledge

A structured and sequenced curriculum supports pupils in developing an interest in and understanding about their locality, the wider world – in both its natural and human aspects – and phenomena, such as the weather and seasons. It also supports the development and understanding of geographic skills. As they progress pupils deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. They work with more complex information about the world, and learn about the relevance of people’s attitudes, values and beliefs.

We want our children to gain confidence and enjoy practical experiences through local fieldwork studies and an appreciation of the geographical features in the local area and beyond. A variety of teaching methods are used, including practical activities and reconstructions, visits, discussions and debates.

Lessons are coherently planned, sequenced and implemented, so that new knowledge and skills build on what has already been taught. Kingsfleet has taken out Geographical Association membership, giving staff access to the CPD, resources and schemes of work which support quality provision.

Key concepts will be revisited as pupils move through the school and will both deepen and build their understanding progressively. In geography, we are developing vocabulary around concepts that include maps, location, size, scale, view, landscape, country, city, place, environment, physical, human and climate.

We assess children’s work in geography by making informal judgements as we observe them during each history lesson. On completion of a piece of work the teacher marks the work and comments as necessary. Assessment for learning is continuous throughout the planning, teaching and learning cycle.