A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should 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. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

National Curriculum in England, DfE 2013

Geography Curriculum Intent

Thomlinson Junior School believes that every child should have the right to a curriculum that champions excellence; supporting pupils in achieving to the very best of their abilities. The intent of our Geography curriculum is to provide children with the opportunities to explore and understand the world around them as well as utilising their local area. We are fortunate to live in an area surrounded by opportunities to explore Geography first hand. From the Lake District, our town Wigton, industry, surrounding villages, the City of Carlisle and having the beach nearby. This allows us first hand to explore and utilise key Geographical concepts in a realistic context before extending and applying these further afield, looking at the wider world in which we live.

At Thomlinson Junior School, we aim to give children opportunities to explore and understand the ever-changing world around them, incorporating key concepts which are relevant to now and help them to understand the world in which they live from a Geographical context. 
 

Geography Curriculum Implementation

As a school, we adapt the 'Kapow' scheme of learning to best fit the the needs of our children. Lessons are planned to build on children’s prior knowledge and focuses on develop essential skills to be a Geographer, using both the environment and Geography around us as well as the wider world. Sessions are planned to be fun, engaging and where possible, practical, to help raise standards and allow all pupils to achieve their full potential. 

Geography Curriculum Impact

Formative assessment is undertaken each session. Through using the progression of skills documents, both teachers and pupils can evaluate process.  Feedback can be verbal during the lesson (most valuable) and, in some cases where it is appropriate, written.   

Inclusion in Geography

All pupils are entitled to access the geography curriculum at a level appropriate to their needs.  To ensure inclusion, teachers use a range of strategies in line with the school’s inclusion planning key.  Independent tasks, as well as teaching, are also well-adapted to ensure full accessibility, as well as to provide appropriate challenge to different groups of learners. The school makes full use of additional adults who are deployed effectively to ensure that identified children are able to make progress in each curriculum area, according to their full potential.