Geography at Bletchingdon
Intent
At Bletchingdon Primary School, we aim to provide a high-quality Geography education that inspires curiosity and a love for the world around us. Our Geography curriculum helps students understand the physical and human processes that shape the environment, and we ensure that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be responsible global citizens. By embedding local, national, and global perspectives, we encourage children to appreciate the interconnections between people, places, and environments. We aim to develop a deep understanding of the world, fostering critical thinking and the ability to ask geographical questions about the world in which they live.
Our intent is to:
- Provide students with an understanding of their local environment in Oxfordshire, exploring its geographical features, history, and how it relates to wider global issues.
- Foster an understanding of sustainable practices and global citizenship by looking at human impact on the environment.
- Encourage outdoor learning, enabling pupils to explore both local and global geography, thereby connecting classroom knowledge with real-world experiences.
Implementation
Our Geography curriculum is designed to be progressive, with a focus on both knowledge and skills. We ensure that all pupils are provided with a range of opportunities to explore different geographical concepts and develop skills that are transferable to other subjects.
- Local Context: Given our location in Oxfordshire, we take full advantage of the surrounding landscape, utilizing local field trips to learn about local geography (such as the River Thames or the rural countryside). We incorporate the village setting into lessons to discuss rural versus urban geography and how local features relate to broader geographical topics like climate change, population growth, and sustainability.
- Knowledge and Skills: Children learn about the physical world (rivers, mountains, climate, etc.), human geography (population, settlements, economic activity), and geographical skills (map reading, fieldwork, data collection). Pupils are introduced to key geographical tools such as maps, atlases, and digital resources to develop spatial awareness.
- Fieldwork and Outdoor Learning: Outdoor learning is a key component of our geography curriculum. Regular trips and visits to the local environment, including nature walks, village surveys, and mapping exercises, are embedded into lessons. This helps students develop real-world geographical skills and a sense of connection to the land they live on.
- Sustainability and Global Citizenship: Throughout the curriculum, we emphasize the importance of sustainability. Students explore global challenges such as climate change, pollution, and deforestation, learning how these issues impact their local community and the wider world. We promote the idea of responsible global citizenship and encourage children to consider how they can make a positive difference.
The implementation of our curriculum is greatly supported by carefully structured unit plans, leading pupils through component knowledge and skills to composite knowledge and skills in all subjects.
Our pedagogical approach is based on Rosenshine’s Principles of Direct Instruction. The brilliant clarity and simplicity of this approach supports teachers to engage with cognitive science and the wider world of educational research. The Principles of Direct Instruction
1. Daily Review
2. Present new material using small steps
3. Ask questions
4. Provide models
5. Guide student practice
6. Check for student understanding
7. Obtain a high success rate
8. Provide scaffolds for difficult tasks
9. Independent practice
10.Weekly and monthly review
Impact
The impact of our Geography curriculum is evident in the knowledge and skills students acquire and the attitudes they develop towards the world around them.
- Knowledge: Students leave our school with a strong understanding of the world, from local geographical features in Oxfordshire to global environmental challenges. They know how to use geographical tools and skills to explore the world around them, and they understand how human activity can influence and shape the environment.
- Confidence and Curiosity: Our pupils develop a sense of curiosity about the world. They become confident in asking questions about geographical topics and are able to engage in thoughtful discussions. They express a growing interest in exploring new places and understanding the interconnectedness of the world.
- Local and Global Perspective: Students gain an appreciation of their local community and how it fits into the larger global context. They understand the importance of sustainability and the impact of their actions on the environment, both locally and globally.
- Skills Development: Pupils develop essential skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and independent research. They apply these skills in both classroom-based and fieldwork-based activities, allowing them to make connections and draw conclusions from real-world geographical data.
- Real-World Connections: Our Geography curriculum has a tangible impact on pupils’ lives, as they are encouraged to see geography beyond the classroom. Through outdoor learning and community-based projects, students feel a deeper connection to their village and to global issues such as climate change, thus becoming responsible and active participants in their world.
Assessment
From Y1- Y6 children are assessed individually against the knowledge and skills progression documentation and outcomes. Teachers using terms ‘expected’ to state a child is on track or ‘concern’ which indicates a child may need more support.
