Why do we study Geography?

Geography enables children to make sense of their surroundings and the wider world, inspiring children to be fascinated about the world in which they live. By developing a range of geographical skills, pupils explore the natural and human elements of their local and wider environments. We aim to teach children to gain an age appropriate knowledge and understanding of places and environments. By developing specific geographical skills, children make sense of their own surroundings through learning about their own local area, asking geographical questions and comparing their locality with that of other regions in the United Kingdom and in the rest of the world. Through their growing knowledge and understanding of human and physical geography, children gain an appreciation of life in other cultures and the diverse world in which live. Geography inspires pupils to be fascinated about the world and its people, allowing children to develop a sense of responsibility towards the environment and to gain an understanding of the human impact on the natural world. 

What do we aim to achieve at St. Michael's?

We follow the aims of the National Curriculum, aiming to ensure that all pupils:

• 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.

How do we achieve this?

At St. Michael's the Geography curriculum is progressive across all year groups from Reception to Year 6. Learning in Geography is broken down into four areas:

• Locational knowledge
• Place knowledge
• Human and physical geography
• Geographical skills and fieldwork

In each year group, the children start off in the Autumn term studying the local area. This gradually builds to the UK and then the wider world in the Summer term.

For any additional curriculum information please use the following link for the Primary National Curriculum for Geography:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239044/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_Geography.pdf