Related Pages
- British Values and Healthy Minds
- Core Curriculum
- Reading
- Writing
- Maths
- Science
- Primary Talk
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
- E-Safety
- Forest School
- Foundation Curriculum
- Art and Design & Technology
- Computing
- French
- Geography
- History
- Music
- Physical Education (PE)
- Religious Education
- Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE)
- Relationship (Sex), Health Education (RSHE)
Geography
Why do we teach Geography?
We follow the Primary National Curriculum for Geography in England and we want our children to think like Geographers...
Geography is about understanding the world by providing children with knowledge of diverse places and people; comparing locations and resources; investigating natural and human environments; researching different sources; writing and talking about places; asking and answering questions. Curiosity is the bedrock of how we teach Geography at Rowanfield Junior School. Our pupils develop an understanding of the principles of both physical and human geography and the formation and use of landscapes and environments whilst developing that all important fascination about the world and its people. As children’s knowledge develops, they can explain how the Earth’s features are interconnected and have changed over time.
What do we teach in Geography?
Geography Curriculum Overview 2024-25
Geography Curriculum Overview 2025-26
Geography is an opportunity to broaden pupils' horizons and spark pupils' curiosity about a diverse range of places and people. Great Geography teaching allows our pupils to develop a sense of place, an understanding of localities and regions as well as a global perspective. Pupils at Rowanfield will appreciate the world on both a local and a global scale as they explore human and physical geography (both terrestrial and marine) as well as developing their understanding of different cultures.
We want children to understand how the world has changed over time, both in terms of physical processes but also how human interaction with our planet has impacted on our environments. Your child will develop an awareness of the wider world and their place within it and be encouraged to take an active role to make our planet more sustainable. We want our children to become passionate about the planet and become actively involved in protecting the environment.
We want our children to acquire a range of geographical skills including:
- Collecting and analysing data using fieldwork to deepen their understanding of geographical processes.
- Interpreting geographical information such as maps, diagrams, globes and aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).
- The ability to communicate geographical information in a variety of ways for example using maps, diagrams, and writing at length.
Our curriculum follows a clear progression of skills which is progressively more challenging through Years 1 to 6. Teachers make meaningful links between Geography and other subjects, to ensure an interconnected approach to learning.
What does the National Curriculum say?
In KS2 your child's learning is extended from the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. They will learn about the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They will extend their use of geographical tools and skills to enhance their location and place knowledge.
Your child will develop their learning:
- Locational knowledge: deepen their knowledge of the world’s countries using maps learning key physical and human characteristics, environmental features and major cities; develop their knowledge of the United Kingdom – counties and cities, geographical regions, key human and physical characteristics, key topographical features and land use patterns and how they have changed over time; learn longitude, latitude, hemispheres, Tropic lines and timelines.
- Place knowledge: understand geographical similarities and differences by studying the human and physical geography of a region in the United Kingdom, a region in Europe and a region in America.
- Human and physical geography: physical geography including climate zones, biomes, vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes, earthquakes and the water cycle; human geography including types of settlement and land use, economic activity looking at trade links and distribution of natural resources.
- Geographical skills and fieldwork: use maps, atlases, globes and digital mapping to locate countries and features; use eight points of the compass, grid references, symbols and keys to builder their wider knowledge; use fieldwork to observe, measure and record human and physical features using a range of methods.
How could you support your child?
When out and about in your local area
You can help your child geographically by chatting about local physical features, attractions and activities. You might even like to develop this idea by asking them to provide a tourist guide for their local area for visiting relatives.
On a journey, you can share the road map or map phone app
With your son or daughter so they can follow the route while you talk about where you are going. Alternatively, ask them to draw a map of their journey to school or the local shop, including any natural or man-made features along the way.
Holidays are an ideal opportunity to compare the location
With their home area — you might ask your child to talk through five similarities and differences, for example. Holidays also provide an opportunity for a museum visit or a trip to a tourist attraction.
Closer to home, use anything at your disposal!
Magazines, TV, films and even some computer games can provide your child with a view of distant places. They enable your child to be transported instantly to another place. Prompt their thinking with questions, such as: What might the weather be like in this place? Why might the road have been built where it is? The list of questions is endless and will lead to all sorts of discussions which will really help to develop curiosity about and understanding of the world.
Watch a weather forecast with your child and discuss, decide on a holiday location and discuss how to get there
Your daily life constantly provides you with rich geographical experiences, information and understanding. Here are some websites you could use to support your child further at home.