“The study of geography is more than just memorising places on a map. It's about understanding the complexity of our world and appreciating the diversity of cultures that exist across continents. And in the end, it's about using all that knowledge to help bridge divides and bring people together.”
Barack Obama
Intent:
Geography at Grade Ruan provides a means of exploring, appreciating and understanding the world in which we live and how it has evolved. Our aim is for our children to be curious about the world around them. It contributes to the cultural, social, spiritual and moral life of children as they acquire knowledge of a range of different cultures and traditions, and learn tolerance and understanding of other people and environments. Geography can encourage pupils to think about their own place in the world, their values, and their rights and responsibilities to other people and to the Earth.
We believe that Geography helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. Geography is, by nature, an investigative subject, which develops and understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. We seek to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the natural world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives; to promote the children’s interest and understanding of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.
At Grade Ruan the geography curriculum that is underpinned by our three curriculum drivers:
DIVERSITY: Our students are encouraged to be deeply Cornish and proudly global in their approach. We achieve this through the study of our unique coastal home, the wider world and the physical and human interactions and challenges that affect both.
ASPIRATION: Through celebrating our world, and the achievements of its inhabitants, our pupils will leave with the skills, language and knowledge required to be members of our global community.
CURIOSITY: our bespoke curriculum is designed to provide children with the cultural capital and world knowledge and understanding that they will need to succeed in their lives beyond primary education. It is designed to provoke discussions, promote curiosity and advance pupils’ locational knowledge and skills as a result. Through trips, visits and engagement with issues affecting us all, children should become aware of their impact on the world around them, at a local, national, and international level.
Implementation:
The curriculum is designed to develop knowledge and skills that are progressive, as well as transferable, throughout their time at Grade Ruan and also to their further education and beyond. Each topic has one over-arching enquiry question.
Early Years:
Geography is taught in EYFS as an integral part of the theme work covered during the year. We relate the geographical aspects of the children’s work to the objectives set out in the Early Years curriculum. Geography makes a significant contribution to the Early Learning Goal objectives of developing a child’s understanding of the world through activities such as finding out about different places and habitats and investigating our locality. Skills of curiosity are encouraged through the Characteristics of Effective Learning.
Key Stage One and Two:
We ensure that sufficient time is given to Geography, in order to enable pupils to meet the expectations set out in the National Curriculum programme of study. The Geography curriculum is coherent and shows progression, allowing time for children to take inspiration from the world around them, both locally and further afield.
Geography at grade Ruan is taught in blocks throughout the year, so that children can achieve depth in their learning. Teachers have identified the key knowledge and skills of each blocked topic and consideration has been given to ensure progression across topics throughout each year group across the school. The village and surrounding local area is fully utilised to achieve the desired outcomes, with extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice.
Impact:
We want our Geography provision to impact our children in the ways listed below. We want our children to become curious, creative and critical thinkers. In order to achieve that, our children will:
- develop a curiosity and understanding of places and people both locally, nationally and globally.
- develop a knowledge and understanding of the physical and human processes which shape places.
- develop a respect and understanding of what it means to be a positive citizen in a multi-cultural country.
- foster a sense of curiosity and wonder at the beauty of the world around them.
- develop a commitment to sustainable development and an appreciation of what ‘global citizenship’ means.
- make sense of their own surroundings, their own locality and the interaction between people and the environment.
- develop the geographical skills, including how to use, draw and interpret maps of different scales, and the vocabulary necessary to carry out effective geographical enquiry.
- apply map reading skills to globes and atlas maps and identify geographical features and make use of digital mapping skills.
- formulate appropriate questions, develop research skills and evaluate material to inform opinions.
- work geographically in a range of appropriate contexts, using a variety of materials and equipment including other people’s experiences and knowledge.
