Geography

Characteristic

What do we want to develop in our children at Kirklevington?

What does this look like in our School?

Be Ready

Be Ambitious – aim high, exposure to experts and role models, challenge provided in teaching knowledge, skills and vocabulary

• We aim to inspire pupils to develop a genuine curiosity about the world around them.
• Our inclusive geography curriculum progressively introduces knowledge, skills and vocabulary, with clear end points and expectations.
• We foster a deep-rooted love of learning through developing the key skills of questioning, investigating and evaluating.
• We provide opportunities for children to be inquisitive through independent studies of local areas, field work, including on school trips and research on different locations and cultures around the world.
• Children develop confidence in using and interpreting a range of sources.
• Children are taught to be articulate and confident in the geographical language they use, within their independent work and in class discussions.
• We introduce role models, who are of significance to the development of geographical thinking or have played an important role within a geographical situation.  
• We actively encourage children to give their opinions on global issues and harness their curiosity about the fascinations and problems of our world.
• Inspirational speakers are invited into school to share their experiences with the children.

Be Independent – Prepared for now, the next steps and for life

• As they progress through the school, pupils will become more independent learners and be able to use their acquired skills and understanding to interpret a range of sources such as maps, diagrams, globes and aerial sources, to successfully investigate the wider world.
• Children use technology effectively to support their research and to further discover and experience the world around them.
• Assessment is used to form meaningful and relevant judgements on a child’s progress and attainment at regular points throughout the year. Assessment informs planning and provision, addresses gaps in learning where these are evident and offers support and challenge where required.
• Children are encouraged to think independently about geographical challenges and their opinions are recognised through purposeful questioning.

Be Resilient – confident, develop self-regulation, well-being strategies and be problem solvers

• Children are encouraged to be resilient and to have positive attitudes towards learning.
• They apply key skills in multi-disciplinary areas through meaningful links across curriculum areas.
• Children develop a base of secure factual knowledge through appropriate support and challenge for all.
• Children are taught that change is a part of life and about setting small goals to achieve big things.
• Problem-solving is promoted within geography lessons and children are given the opportunity to practise this alongside articulating their reasoning.

Be Respectful

Respectful behaviours – towards ourselves, our peers and others

• Respectful behaviour is expected within all lessons. Peers can participate in class discussions and debates regarding geography respectfully, with everyone’s opinion being listened to.
• Children are respectful to each other when working in groups, e.g. on case studies.

Respect rights -RRSA – Understand our rights, how they affect our lives and rights of children globally, celebrating differences

• Teaching aims to equip pupils with knowledge about: diverse places; people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.
• Pupils will learn about issues in other parts of the world and how we can directly support change.
• Geography lessons are linked to specific ‘Rights of the Child (UNICEF)’.
• Children learn about the rights of children in different geographical locations around the world.
• Pupils research people in different cultures around the world and develop their understanding between our similarities and differences.

Respect the environment – our school, the community and the wider world

• Children will gain an awareness of our responsibility to look after our planet and help to maintain our environment.
• They will study the impact of climate change on our planet and be able to understand how we can find resolutions.
• Children learn about a wide range of geographical issues around the world and develop their curiosity on why these issues arise and how they can be resolved.
• Our Geography curriculum promotes responsibility towards a brighter future for our planet and creates an awareness of children’s place in our ever-changing environment and the positive impact they can have.
• Children are expected to tidy away equipment they have used within lessons (when of an appropriate age).

Be Safe

Keep ourselves safe – know how to report concerns and worries, including with friendships

• Our school is a safe environment, where children can report any worries or concerns they have
• Children consider the effects of weather, locations and the environment on their own and other’s safety
• Children are taught how to seek help

Being safe in the school and community – Knowledge about, our families, the school, the local context and wider world

• Learning about the local area is a key curriculum aim, including similarities and differences that are prominent throughout the world.
• Children learn how to be safe within their local area – including road, rail and water safety and locational danger, through field work, trips and visits.
• We learn about current global issues, which are relevant to the children’s geography learning.

Being safe online –Using technology for the right reasons and knowing its limitations

• Children understand how to use technology appropriately when it is being used within lessons.
• Children can use resources, web links and interactive maps effectively.