Curriculum Intent

Belsay Primary School aims to develop citizens of global change through equipping them with knowledge and understanding of the world to help them to be informed members of society with a strong sense of social responsibility and justice.  We aim to instil a love for enquiry and agency in our children, motivating them to take an active part in contributing to and growing up to be conscious and connected global citizens.

The Geography Curriculum is designed to spark in children an interest in the natural world and develop a rich understanding of the interlinked relationship between human and physical geography and how this has shaped the world they live in. 

“It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.”

Sir David Attenborough

Children are taught to think like geographers and are provided with opportunities to engage in progressive field work experiences.  Children will develop their locational knowledge at a local, national and global level. Our curriculum will give children a deep understanding of their own place in the world and instil a curiosity for diversity of place and culture.

Implementation

• The curriculum is delivered through five key themes: locational knowledge, place knowledge, human geography, physical geography and skills and fieldwork

• Our curriculum is underpinned by the Oxfam Education for Global Citizenship with seven global learning themes developing knowledge and understanding, skills and values and attitudes.

• Our school values serve to add integrity to attitudes and responses to the subject and to improve the learning environment.

• Children’s geographical learning starts with the familiar and slowly builds outwards as they progress through school.

• From Early Years through to Year Six children will be taught to have an understanding of the ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected and how human and physical environments are interrelated.

• Fieldwork skills develop through each year group starting from Early Years where children use the small world area to recreate their immediate environment and special places, through to Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 where they develop their understanding of using directional language, reading and creating maps, using a compass, identifying landmarks using grid references and using a range of digital mapping tools.

• Children are exposed to an extensive range of vocabulary which builds year on year.

• At the start of each unit children will review previous learning and will have the opportunity to share what they already know about a current topic. In order to support children in their ability to know more and remember more, there are regular opportunities to review the learning that has taken place in previous units as well as previous lessons.

The attachment below sets out additional content to support the Global Curriculum as outlined in the Long Term Curriculum Plan.