Geography curriculum

Transitional Plan for Geography & History for academic year 2023.24 only

Following cyclical review, and reflecting current research and Ofsted Subject Reviews, History and Geography long term plan have been refined. This is grounded in our thinking that a successful curriculum reflects careful thinking and rationale behind what is taught, the sequencing of learning and the relationships between the different forms of knowledge.

In the refined long term plan, KS2 History is now delivered in chronological order. Geography blocks are now directly followed by History blocks so that links in learning can be built in the vast majority of units. This enables us to better contextualise locations in aspects of the History block where possible, in order to strengthen developing schema and acquisition of knowledge, as well as to provide greater opportunity to apply knowledge into a range of writing forms.

Transition to the new long-term plan will require a four-term transitional period (See Below). The strategic thinking underpinning this is to ensure there is no repetition whilst enabling children to still cover all strands of the History and Geography National Curriculum.

Intent for TVED Geography

We aim to provide children with the knowledge and vocabulary to understand how the human and physical features of a place shapes its location and can change over time. Children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. For reference, see the Department of Education Geography curriculum guidance here.

Outcomes

By the end of KS1 most children will be able to:

• describe the main features of localities and recognise similarities and differences;  
• recognise where things are and why they are as they are;  
• express their own views about features of an environment and recognise how it is changing;  
• find out about places and environments by asking and answering questions, by using their own observations and other geographical enquiry skills and resources.

By the end of KS2 most children will be able to:

• explain the physical and human characteristics of places, and their similarities and differences;  
• know the location of key places in the United Kingdom, Europe and the world;  
• explain patterns of physical and human features;  
• recognise how selected physical and human processes cause changes in the character of places and environments;  
• describe how people can affect the environment and explain the different views held by people about environmental change;  
• undertake geographical investigations by asking and responding to questions and using a range of geographical enquiry skills, resources and their own observations.