Pikes Lane Primary School Geography Statement of Practice Subject Leader: Mrs Cawley Subject Link Governor: Mr Scholar & Mrs Azad Last Updated: September 2016 Review Date: September 2017
Aims and objectives Geography Statement of Practice Geography teaches an understanding of places and environments. Through their work in geography, children learn about their local area and compare their life in this area with that in other regions in the United Kingdom and in the rest of the world. They learn how to draw and interpret maps and they develop the skills of research, investigation, analysis and problem-solving. Through their growing knowledge and understanding of human geography, children gain an appreciation of life in other cultures. Geography teaching also motivates children to find out about the physical world and enables them to recognise the importance of sustainable development for the future of mankind. The aims of geography are: To enable children to gain knowledge and understanding of places in the world; To increase children s knowledge of other cultures and, in so doing, teach a respect and understanding of what it means to be a positive citizen in a multi-cultural country; To allow children to learn graphic skills, including how to use, draw and interpret maps; To enable children to know and understand environmental problems at a local, regional and global level; To encourage in children a commitment to sustainable development and an appreciation of what global citizenship means; To develop a variety of other skills, including those of enquiry, problem solving, computing, investigation and how to present their conclusions in the most appropriate way. Teaching and learning style We use a variety of teaching and learning styles in our geography lessons. We believe in whole-class teaching methods and we combine these with enquiry-based research activities. We encourage children to ask as well as answer geographical questions. We offer them the opportunity to use a variety of data, such as maps, statistics, graphs, pictures, and aerial photographs, and we enable them to use IT in geography lessons where this serves to enhance their learning. Children take part in role-play and discussions, and they present reports to the rest of the class. They engage in a wide variety of problem-solving activities. Wherever possible, we involve the children in real geographical activities, e.g. research of a local environmental problem or use of the Internet to investigate a current issue.
We recognise the fact that there are children of widely different geographical abilities in all classes and we provide suitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child. Geography curriculum planning We use the National Curriculum as the basis for our curriculum planning this is developed through thematic planning. We have adapted the National Curriculum to the local circumstances of our school incorporating the progression of key skills in this area. We make use of the local environment in our fieldwork and we also choose a locality where the human activities and physical features provide a contrast to those that predominate in our own immediate area. Our curriculum planning is in three phases (long-term, medium-term and shortterm). Our long-term plan maps the geography topics studied in each term during each key stage to ensure a wider understanding of the world. Our medium-term plans follow the National Curriculum where relevant or alternative locations to fit with the theme. This ensures that key geographical skills are built upon each year. Each class teacher creates a plan for each lesson. These daily lesson plans list specific learning objectives. The class teacher keeps these individual plans, and often discusses them with the geography subject leader on an informal basis. We plan the topics in geography so that they build upon prior learning. Children of all abilities have the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge in each unit and, through planned progression built into the scheme of work, we offer them an increasing challenge as they move up the school. Role of the Geography Subject Leader To ensure geography is carefully planned for and allows for progression of key skills. To assist and support colleagues in the implementation of the scheme of work. To monitor the delivery of the geography curriculum. To monitor resources and ensure that they are accessible to all children across both Key Stages. Attend appropriate courses and feedback relevant information to colleagues. To plan / organise inset for all staff whenever appropriate. Inclusion Schools have a responsibility to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils. The National Curriculum is a starting point for planning a school curriculum that meets the specific needs of individuals and groups of pupils. At Pikes Lane we have high expectations of all children. We provide opportunities for all pupils to achieve including those with special educational needs, disabilities and those from all social and cultural backgrounds.
We aim to provide all children with challenging and meaningful work appropriate to their abilities and individual needs related to the National Curriculum for history. Teachers where necessary will adapt activities to meet the needs of a child. Early Years Foundation Stage (Understanding the World) Children should have the opportunity to find out and learn about the world in which they live. Their experiences are likely to have included: Asking questions about why things happen Investigating a wide variety of Learning about themselves and living things Looking closely similarities and differences, patterns and change Talking about their observations and sometimes recording them. KS1 and KS2 During KS1 Pupils should: Develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They should understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including firsthand observation, to enhance their locational awareness. Pupils should be taught to: Locational knowledge. Name and locate the world s seven continents and five oceans Name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas Place knowledge. Understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the United Kingdom, and of a small area in a contrasting non-european country Human and physical geography. Identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles. Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to: key physical features, including: beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather key human features, including: city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour and shop Geographical skills and fieldwork. Use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage Use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map Geography key stages 1 and 2 3.
Use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key. Use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment. During KS2 pupils learn to: Locate the world s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities. Name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time. Identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night) Place knowledge. Understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region within North or South America Human and physical geography. Describe and understand key aspects of: physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle. Human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water Geography key stages 1 and 2 4 Geographical skills and fieldwork. Use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied. Use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world. Use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies. National Curriculum Requirements The updated National Curriculum sets out the statutory requirements for the teaching of Science in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
Teachers should cover and assess the pupils knowledge and understanding in each topic within the programmes of study during and/or at the end of each topic. Planning Medium term planning should outline what is to be taught. Short term planning should be detailed and should take into account the needs and abilities of the children. It should include: The learning objective (WALT), which should be skills based. Pupil activities, including differentiated activities Resources, including use of ICT as appropriate Any safety issues Assessment, recording and reporting Teachers should continually assess pupils progress throughout the school year in order to inform future planning and to maintain continuity and progression. They assess the progress of pupils during and/or at the end of each unit of work. Their progress is also recorded formally at the end of the school year, on a whole school assessment tracker. Judgments will be made for each child, based on whether that are working at age related expectation, or whether they are below or above this. Pupil s progress is reported to parents via the annual written report and also during the annual parent/teacher meeting. Discreet Science tasks will be recorded on task sheets, marked according to school policy and will be kept in red Science folders. Science tasks, that link with thematic units, will be recorded in theme books. Cross Curricular Links Geography topics are taught through theme. Computing We make provision for the children to use ipads in geography lessons where appropriate. We incorporate computing in our geography curriculum planning at Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 1. Children use computing in geography to enhance their skills in data handling and in presenting written work. They research information through the Internet. We arrange for the children to communicate with other pupils in other schools and countries by using e-mail. We also offer children the opportunity to use ipads record and use photographic images.
Inclusion Schools have a responsibility to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils. At Pikes Lane we have high expectations of all children. We provide opportunities for all pupils to achieve including those with special educational needs, disabilities and those from all social and cultural backgrounds. We aim to provide all children with challenging and meaningful work appropriate to their abilities and individual needs related to the National Curriculum for geography. Teachers where necessary will adapt activities to meet the needs of a child. Assessment and recording We assess the children s work in geography by making informal judgements as we observe the children during lessons. Once the children complete a piece of work, we mark; peer or self-assess and comment as necessary. Resources We have sufficient resources in our school to be able to teach the statutory expectations of the National Curriculum. We keep these resources in a central store where there is a box of equipment for each unit of work. We also keep a collection of geography equipment which the children use to gather weather data, and a set of atlases for both key stages. In the library we have a good supply of geography topic books and a range of educational software to support the children s individual research as well as individual and class sets of ipads. Fieldwork Fieldwork is integral to good geography teaching and we include as many opportunities as we can to involve children in practical geographical research and enquiry. This is now incorporated through WOW experiences in theme wherever it is possible. At Pikes Lane Primary School we uphold and teach pupils about British Values which are defined as: Democracy, Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs. These values are taught explicitly through Personal, Social, Health and Emotional (PSHE), and Religious Education (RE). We also teach British Values through planning and delivering a broad and balanced curriculum as part of our unique Pikes Lane Learning Journey.
We take opportunities to actively promote British Values through whole school assemblies and through ensuring that our curriculum planning and delivery includes real opportunities for exploring these values in every subject area.