Geography

The aim of Geography at St Joseph’s is to teach an understanding of places and environments. Geography helps children to make sense of their surroundings and the wider world.

Through the study of our local environment and other areas, children learn the impact we have on the world, and the impact the world has on us. They will understand the physical and human processes and patterns within these environments, and they can learn to appreciate the similarities and differences between places and people.

The Geography topics taught at St Joseph’s build upon prior learning and offer increasing challenge to children as they move up the school.

During Key Stage 1 the children develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.

In Key Stage 2 the children extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They should develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge.

At St Joseph’s we cover many areas of the curriculum in our Geography lessons,

promoting reading and writing skills in English, contributing to children’s Mathematical understanding of space, scale and distance and data analysis. Geography contributes significantly to the teaching of PSHE and Citizenship, such as how environmental issues, natural disasters and changes in our local area can affect the lives of people.

KS1 Geography Overview

In Key Stage 1 Pupils have the opportunity to develop geographical skills including:

• use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the UK and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage
• use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map
• use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key
• use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment.

KS2 Geography Overview 

In Key Stage 2 Pupils have the opportunity to develop geographical skills including:

• use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
• use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key to build their knowledge of the UK and the wider world
• observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.