Geography
Geography for the pupils at Hugh Gaitskell School should not be an abstract concept. It should be set within a social and political context and should imbue children with a curiosity about the world around them and a sense of responsibility about their role within it.
Intent
The teaching of geography should provide children with the cultural capital that they will need to succeed in their lives beyond primary education. Through trips, visits and discussions of current affairs, children should become engaged with the world around them, at a local, national and international level. We want our pupils to develop a sense of agency and responsibility, as well as pride in their local community. We want them to be able to speak in a confident and knowledgeable manner about a range of geographical topics.
As children progress through school, skills should be built upon each year in order to develop a deep and precise understanding of the geography curriculum. The cyclical nature of the Geography National Curriculum means that topics are revisited in different year groups. We need to ensure that there is a clear progression in skills.
Implementation
Key to the implementation of our Subject Development Plan is a consistent approach to the teaching of geography. We have solid foundations upon which to build in the form of short, medium and long term planning and evidence of successful teaching of geography across the school.
In order to ensure the progression of skills as pupils move through the school, we will use the Progression of Skills document (see supporting documents.) This provides teachers with a more detailed breakdown of skills for each year group. This will ensure that books, displays and pupil interviews demonstrate that skills are being developed and embedded as children move from the Foundation Stage to Year 6.
We will use learning walks as an opportunity to ensure consistency in the quality of teaching and identify strengths within the school. This will provide opportunities for professional development and peer to peer support where teachers can observe each other, team-teach and share good practice.
Central to the teaching of geography is the enhancement of the curriculum through trips and visits. We will plan visits, visitors and activities within the community to provide first-hand experiences for the children to support and develop their learning. These opportunities provide a contextual understanding of geography - both within the immediate vicinity of the school and around Yorkshire. Staff will be made aware of opportunities which match their curriculum objectives and which give pupils the chance to explore their local area.
The promotion of a language-rich geography curriculum is essential to the successful acquisition of knowledge and understanding in geography. The promotion and use of an accurate and rich geographical vocabulary throughout the school is planned for each topic, with working wall vocabulary displays.
Another key strand of geography is its potential for enhancing key cross-curricular skills. In line with our school’s focus on oracy through the Talk Matters program, there will be a focus in geography on discussion, presentation and debates. Pupils will be encouraged to use full sentences when answering questions and giving opinions. This means that pupils will become more confident and we be able to speak on a range of topics. We want pupils to feel engaged with the world around them and able to articulate their thoughts and opinions.
Impact
Through our teaching of an engaging and contextualised geography curriculum, we want to foster a culture where children love geography. We want to build within them a curiosity about people and places that will enrich their understanding of the world around them, both within the school, and in their everyday lives. They will gain a rich and varied knowledge of the world.
This impact will be measured through pupils and learning walks. We will see pupils who are able to speak confidently and articulately about the natural world as well as humans’ role within it. The teaching of geography will be of a consistently high standard. Lessons will be exciting and pupil voice interviews will demonstrate that pupils are engaged with the subject.
Children across the school will be empowered and will understand the contributions they can make to both the local and global community.