In Nursery and Reception, the foundations for learning geography are put in place through children developing their understanding of the world. Learning which encourages children to think about places – starting with home and school noticing the natural and man-made environment and then building up to consider places in the world - ensures that children are ready to learn geography when they enter Key Stage 1.

The geography curriculum at Bishop Parker School is designed to cover the National Curriculum objectives for Geography in Key Stage 1 and 2 in a way which develops Geographical knowledge and understanding alongside a love of learning through revisiting key skills and knowledge in engaging units of work.

Geography is taught as a discrete subject area but is also enriched through exploring links with English work, Art, DT, Science, Music or Computing where possible. The children’s learning is also enriched through fieldwork, creative lessons, trips and visits.

In Geography this key learning which is revisited in different topics includes:

• Locational knowledge
• Place knowledge
• Human and physical geography
• Map and fieldwork skills
  • Fieldwork – observation and sketching
  • Using maps
  • Making maps
  • Map knowledge

The curriculum is sequenced so that concepts and key geographical knowledge is revisited in new contexts each year. Children learn about new countries, places and themes in each year group but with links drawn out and skills revisited and built upon to ensure that the children make progression in geographical understanding and develop increasing independence.

Each unit of work is sequenced to begin with an exploration of children’s current knowledge understanding and the discussion of key question/s. This is then followed by lessons which explore the learning set out in the national curriculum. The key questions are revisited at the end of the unit of work. Enrichment opportunities may be included as part of the learning sequence at the point which suits best, according to the teacher’s own professional opinion.

Schemes of work written by teachers are reviewed and updated each year to ensure:

• The curriculum is tailored to the needs of the class
• That specific children’s needs are appropriately catered for
• That the curriculum includes enrichment opportunities
• That objectives, knowledge and skills are covered.