Geography

Welcome to Geography at Richmond Hill Primary Academy

Lead by Emily Johnson-Quinn

Intent                                                                                                                                                                

At Richmond Hill children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. The geography curriculum at Richmond Hill engages children who develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and which can and are used to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Geography develops understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. The curriculum is designed to develop knowledge and skills through quality first teaching that are sequential, as well as transferable, throughout their time at Richmond Hill and also to their further education and beyond. 

Implementation                                                                                                                                                 

Geography is taught with high expectations through Cornerstones ‘knowledge rich projects’, so that children can achieve depth in their learning. Projects are introduced with hands on memorable experiences (on or off site) that excite children’s interest. Lessons are well-structured, identifying cross curricular links. Children are given the opportunity to express their learning through innovation. Children review prior learning through retrieval regularly to support the short term and long term memory. At Richmond Hill our teaching and learning is strengthened by research-based evidence – we believe learning is more effective spaced than blocked. The local area is fully utilised to achieve the desired outcomes, with extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice.  Children are encouraged to reflect on their learning and this gives them the opportunity to make links between prior learning and new. We welcome our parents and carers to take part in learning and experiences. All Children are able to learn in Forest School as well as the classroom taught by a specialist expanding skills and knowledge.

Early Years explore geographical themes and content primarily through the Understanding of the World strand of the EYFS curriculum. They are expected to know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another.

During Key Stage 1 pupils investigate their local area and a contrasting area, finding out about the environment in both areas and the people who live there. They begin to learn about the wider world. They carry out geographical enquiry inside and outside the classroom. They ask geographical questions about people, places and environments, and use geographical skills and resources such as maps and photographs.

Children develop their locational knowledge; learn the world’s 7 continents and 5 oceans. Learn about the 4 countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas. 

They compare 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. The specific geographical locations selected for these comparisons are selected to link to other areas of the curriculum to allow for cross-curricular work and development.

They will identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world. They will begin to use geographical vocabulary.

Children will learn to use world maps, atlases and globes; simple compass directions; aerial photographs and plan perspectives.

Through Key Stage 2 pupils extend and develop their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America.

They extend their locational knowledge when they learn to locate and name European countries as well as North and South America countries, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities. In addition to this, they extend their locational knowledge to be able to name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom.

They build on their understanding of place by comparing the geographical similarities and differences of a region of the United Kingdom, a region of a European country and a region within North or South America (as in Key Stage 1, the specific geographical locations selected for these comparisons will be selected to link to other areas of the curriculum to allow for cross-curricular work and development).

In Key Stage 2 children continue to develop geographical skills and fieldwork skills. They learn to use maps, atlases and globes and digital/computer mapping; compass directions; 4 and 6-figure grid references, symbols and keys and the Ordnance Survey maps. They also observe, measure, record and present features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.   

Impact 

Evidence in books and pupil voice show a broad and balanced geography curriculum and demonstrate children’s acquisition of identified key knowledge.  Children review their successes and reflect on what they have learned comparative to their starting points at the end of every project.  As children progress throughout the school, they develop a deep knowledge, understanding an appreciation of their local area and its place within the wider geographical context.  Geographical understanding is monitored through quizzing, activating retrival skills, ensuring learning is embedded in long term memory and that they are well prepared for the next steps of their education.

Click on the link to view our Geography Skills Progression

Geography through school

Each year group has a Geography Driver project for a term these are:

Year 1: Bright Lights, Big Cities 

In Year 1 using maps and research, we’ll locate Buckingham Palace, understand compass directions, plan routes around London and learn about the countries of the United Kingdom. Our research will take us back in time to the Great Fire of London and to famous London landmarks, as well as giving us an understanding of what it’s like to live in a big city. We’ll Skype a school in a city far away, write adventure stories, take a virtual trip to London Zoo and make souvenirs for tourists.

Year 2: Coastlines

Your child will use maps to learn about the location of the world’s seas and oceans and keys to learn about map symbols. They will also find out about the directions on a compass. They will learn about the human and physical features of a coastline, including the effects of erosion and how to stay safe when visiting the coast. They will have the opportunity to learn about the work of the RNLI, what happened to the SS Rohilla and about the coastal town of Whitby, including how Captain Cook is linked to the town. They will research the tourism industry and consider what features make a place a successful tourist destination.

Year 3: Rocks, Relics and Rumbles

In the Rocks, Relics and Rumbles project, your child will learn about the different layers of the Earth, including plate tectonics and their potential effects on the Earth's surface. They will investigate different types of rock to learn about their uses and properties. They will also investigate soil and fossils, including learning about the work of Mary Anning. They will have the opportunity to use maps to learn about the lines of latitude and longitude and a compass to learn about the cardinal and intercardinal points. They will also learn about volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis and the long and short-term cosequences that these have.

Year 4: Misty Mountain, Winding River

In the Misty Mountain, Winding River project, your child will learn about the characteristics and physical processes of rivers, including how they shape the landscape over time, their significance around the world and the impact of flooding. They will learn how to use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and a key to locate and plot geographical places and features on a map, as well as how contour lines are used to show the topography of an area. They will have the opportunity to learn about the stages of the water cycle and about mountains and their different formations, studying mountain ranges in the United Kingdom and around the world. They will also learn about habitats and how human and natural influences can have an impact on the environment.

Year 5: Sow, Grow and Farm

Your child will learn about allotments in the United Kingdom and how the government encouraged people to have them to support food rationing during the Second World War. They will learn about food webs and animal life cycles, including how living things are dependent on one another within a habitat. They will investigate the different ways that plants reproduce and will dissect flowering plants to identify the different structures. They will have the opportunity to learn about farming in the United Kingdom and the techniques used in modern farming, including the challenges that farmers face. They will learn about the benefits of eating seasonally and about the pros and cons of importing food. They will also learn about world farming and how the different climate zones affect where different foods can be grown.

Year 6: Frozen Kingdoms

Your child will learn about the regions of the Arctic and Antarctic. They will learn about the similarities and differences between these two regions, including the climate, landscape and natural resources. They will learn how to use grid references, lines of latitude and longitude, contour lines and symbols to identify the geographical locations of the Arctic and Antarctic, and how these, along with the tilt of the Earth, affect day length and warmth. They will investigate polar oceans to learn how they differ from other oceans on Earth and how climate change increases Earth's temperature and leads to rising sea levels. They will learn about the indigenous people of the Arctic, including how their lives have changed over time, and about the positives and negatives of tourism in Antarctica. They will also learn about classifying animals, animal adaptations and evolution, and polar exploration and discovery.