"The study of geography is more than just memorising places on a map.  It is about understanding the complexities of our world."

Barack Obama

At Woodstock CE Primary School we believe that Geography helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of our world.  Children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. Our Geography curriculum offers a clearly mapped journey throughout each phase of the children’s primary years, and incorporates fundamental geographical concepts, knowledge, and skills. Opportunities to revisit previous learning through ‘prior learning’ tasks and retrieval activities. The content of the curriculum is broken down into component parts that pupils can first comprehend in their own right, before combining different components to gain a fuller conceptual appreciation. Throughout the curriculum, pupils investigate a range of places – from their immediate environment, local area, county to countries in Britain and beyond – to help develop their knowledge and understanding of the Earth’s physical and human processes.

High quality geography provision piques curiosity and inspires questions to be asked and answers sought across all areas of the curriculum.  At Woodstock CE Primary School it is our intention that Geography is taught through themes, as part of a whole school topic-based approach to teaching and learning. This enables teachers to forge cross-curricular links giving a meaningful context for the learning. However, teachers make it explicit to children that they are learning geography skills and that they are being ‘Geographers’.  Geography is important in our school as it provides a means of exploring, appreciating and understanding the world in which we live and how it has evolved.  We explore the relationship between Earth and its people.  Wherever possible, we aim to build upon the child’s ‘Individual Geography’ by developing geographical skills, understanding and knowledge through studying places and themes.  Staff continually review and adapt work and learning to meet our children’s needs.

Our approach to developing Geographers enables children to grasp key knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas are used to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Geography is, by nature, an investigative subject, which develops and understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. 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; to promote the children’s interest and understanding of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.

Children are given opportunities to develop an awareness of their immediate surroundings, other places and how people have used their environment. Through this they are introduced to the techniques necessary to undertake fieldwork and geographical enquiries.   Children are encouraged to broaden their knowledge of places and environments throughout the world; develop an understanding of maps, and a range of investigative and problem-solving skills both inside and outside the classroom.  As pupils study geography they encounter different societies and cultures, which helps them realise how nations rely on each other. It can inspire them to think about their own place in the world, their values and their rights and responsibilities to other people and the environment. Environmental work is an important aspect of the geography curriculum and is further enhanced by our active Pupil Parliament members.

Each week, throughout school, children discuss and reflect on naturally occurring events or topical issues that are happening around the world – ‘Our World.’  These opportunities broaden children’s geographical knowledge and understanding and how the impact of such events can affect others.  This further supports our global work and developing SMSC awareness and understanding; it also enhances our work as a Rights Respecting School and promotes courageous advocacy.

Assessment in Geography: Assessment is ongoing and informs future teaching building a picture of the child’s attainment and progress over time. There are also ‘check-in’ points throughout, and at the end of each unit against the objectives being taught. This gives teachers the information that they need to build a holistic picture of each individual child and enables them to plan further support and opportunities for retrieval; direct teaching and/or adaptation in future units. The subject leader monitors pupil outcomes to identify trends and patterns that inform future curriculum alterations and CPD opportunities.