Geography

Geography at St Andrew's CE School

Our curriculum at St Andrew’s CE School, is shaped by our school vision which acknowledges our ever-changing world and endeavours to provide opportunities to learn, discover and grow within it, in order to achieve success. Geography is an essential part of the curriculum; it provides a means of exploring, appreciating and understanding the world in which we live and how it has evolved and is evolving. It helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world such as: Where is this place? What is like? (and why?) How and why is it changing? How does this place compare with other places? How and why are places connected?

At St Andrew’s, children are encouraged to study and develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the locality and the wider world, as well as their place in it. The curriculum is coherently sequenced so knowledge is built upon so that pupils can draw on it in future learning. The geography curriculum enables children to develop concepts, knowledge and skills that are transferrable to other curriculum areas. The opportunities for the children to carry out geographical enquiry are also of value, ensuring we equip children with the skills to work as a team to problem-solve and persevere with their learning. Geographical vocabulary is taught to ensure pupils are able to use the correct language to answer and ask geographical questions. The curriculum is sequenced to ensure pupils develop the substantive and disciplinary knowledge needed to develop secure schemas so concepts are understood such as:

• place
• space
• scale
• interdependence 
• physical and human processes
• environmental impact
• sustainable development 
• cultural awareness
• cultural diversity

Our intent, when teaching geography, is to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the world and people within it; to promote the children’s interest, understanding and respect of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.

The quality of our Geography curriculum was recognised, in 2021, when we were awarded Silver in the Geographical Association Primary Geography Quality Mark.