Geography at the West Exmoor Federation
At The West Exmoor Federation, we deliver a high-quality geography education that should inspire our children’s curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should equip our children with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. As our children progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
Intent
The national curriculum for geography aims to ensure that all children:
- Develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes.
- Understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time.
- Are competent in the geographical skills needed to:
- collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes;
- interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS);
- communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.
Implementation
Across the federation, through a carefully structured curriculum, we endeavour to deliver the geography curriculum through:
- Teachers creating a positive attitude to Geography learning within and outside of their classrooms and reinforcing an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards.
- As a federation Geography is taught in planned thematic blocks. This strategy enables the achievement the basic skills but also provides the opportunity to stretch and push for a greater depth of knowledge.
- Through our planning, we involve cross curricular opportunities that allow our children to find out for themselves. Our children are encouraged to ask their own questions and are given opportunities to use skills within their local geography, place knowledge and human and physical geography areas of the curriculum. Some of these skills and knowledge can be learnt through first hand experiences, whilst others are researched and taught explicitly. Planning involves teachers creating engaging lessons, often involving local geographical fieldwork and map work whilst also using high-quality resources. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual knowledge and skills, and assess children regularly to identify those children with gaps in learning, so that all children keep up.
- Across the federation we build upon the learning and skills acquired from previous years. As the children’s knowledge and understanding increases, and they become more aware of the differing areas of the curriculum, they are able to explore further the importance of caring for our environment and continuing their journey of courageous advocacy.
- Opportunities are built into our curriculum to work with experts and deepen their knowledge, understanding and respect for their locality, allowing for them to become excellent citizens of the future.
- Teachers will build children’s understanding of the wide range of geographical vocabulary and expect the children to become proficient in using this orally and when in writing.
Impact
- Children across the federation will have an appreciation for their local Geography, the importance it has on them, their families and local communities. They will be able to discuss elements of the locational Geography of the UK and that of the wider world.
- Our children will be able to make comparisons between their experiences and those of others around the world in the context of trade, communities, natural resources and economic differences.
- Our children will engage in fun, exciting and thought-provoking lessons, which will build on their curiosity about the physical and human geography around the world.
- Our children will be able to use maps, atlases and compasses competently to build on their understanding of the wider world.