Intent

At our school, guided by our vision of ‘letting your light shine’, our Geography curriculum inspires children to explore, understand, and care for the world around them. As part of the SMATT family, we ensure every child feels valued and enabled to flourish through rich geographical learning that connects them to both their local community and the wider world.

We believe Geography opens children’s eyes to the beauty, diversity, and complexity of our planet. Through learning about places, people, environments, and global challenges, pupils develop a sense of awe, responsibility, and interconnectedness. This understanding helps them grow into thoughtful, informed citizens - a light for our community - who are empowered to make a positive impact.

Our curriculum equips children with the skills to investigate, question, and reflect. Whether comparing local landscapes to distant continents or exploring the effects of climate change and human influence, pupils are encouraged to think critically and act with compassion. They are inspired to be role models today, tomorrow and forever in our wider world, recognising that their choices matter and that they have a voice in shaping a sustainable future.

By engaging with global issues and developing respect for cultures and environments near and far, children are supported to let their light shine in how they care for the Earth and each other. Through Geography, they build a strong sense of place and purpose, discovering how they belong to a world much bigger than themselves - and how they can contribute to it meaningfully.

Ultimately, we want every child to leave primary school with a deep respect for the planet, a passion for exploration and enquiry, and a lifelong commitment to being active stewards of the world we share.

Implementation

At our school, Geography is taught as a discrete subject every week across all three terms, ensuring consistent exposure and depth of learning throughout the year. Our curriculum follows a carefully planned sequence using the Grammarsaurus scheme, which is adapted and enriched by teacher subject knowledge to meet the needs of all pupils.

In EYFS, children develop early geographical understanding through the Understanding the World area of learning, which supports their awareness of places, people, and environments. During the ‘All About Me’ theme, they explore their local surroundings, learning about familiar landmarks and the places they live in, fostering a sense of identity and belonging. Activities such as map drawing help children visualise their community and begin to develop spatial awareness and early mapping skills. As part of the ‘Transport’ theme, they learn about London, discovering key landmarks, transport systems, and the city's cultural significance, broadening their understanding of the wider world. Through discussions and activities focused on different cultures and communities, children begin to appreciate diversity, traditions, and ways of life, helping them make connections between places and people. These experiences build foundation knowledge and curiosity that prepares children for more structured geographical learning in Key Stage 1.

In Key Stage 1, pupils begin to develop foundational geographical knowledge and vocabulary. They learn to name and locate the world’s continents, oceans, and the countries of the UK. They explore their local area and compare it with contrasting locations around the world. Map skills are introduced through simple keys, symbols, and directional language.

In Key Stage 2, children deepen their understanding of human and physical geography. They learn about climate zones, biomes, rivers, mountains, settlements, trade, and land use, while further developing their locational knowledge of the world. Pupils refine their map reading skills, use grid references, and apply geographical enquiry to investigate patterns and changes over time.

Throughout the school, children are introduced to a wide range of resources, including atlases, globes, digital maps, aerial photos, and case studies to help bring geography to life. Fieldwork opportunities and local visits are an important part of our curriculum, allowing pupils to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts and develop their geographical observation and recording skills.

This consistent and enriched approach ensures pupils build their knowledge and geographical skills progressively, preparing them to understand and contribute positively to the world around them.

Progression of Skills & Knowledge

Our Geography curriculum is designed to develop children’s understanding of the world around them through a carefully sequenced progression of knowledge and skills from EYFS to Year 6. Pupils revisit and deepen key concepts over time, including locational understanding, geographical enquiry, and fieldwork techniques. Attached below is the Geography Skills and Vocabulary Progression documents: 

geography skills progression new.pdf

 

grammarsaurus geography curriculum vocabulary progression.pdf

 

Curriculum Map/ Long Term Plan 

long term plan updated.pdf

 

Curriculum Policy

Subject in Action

Take a look at some examples of work from across our school curriculum:

 

Geography in Action

 

 

Adaptive Teaching Toolkit

adaptive teaching strategies geography.pdf

 

Adaptive Teaching in Practice

Impact

The impact of our Geography curriculum is reflected in pupils' growing knowledge of the world, their ability to think like geographers, and their curiosity about the planet and its people. Our goal is for all children to leave primary school with a strong sense of place, a deep understanding of global and local environments, and the skills needed to ask and answer geographical questions.

How Do We Know It’s Working?

• Pupils can confidently discuss geographical concepts, use subject-specific vocabulary, and explain key processes (e.g. weather patterns, land use, settlement).

• Children show enthusiasm for learning about the world and demonstrate curiosity and care about environmental and human issues.

• Pupil voice, book scrutiny, and lesson observations show clear progression in geographical knowledge, enquiry skills, and application of fieldwork techniques.

• Work produced over time demonstrates depth of understanding and an ability to apply skills such as map reading, data analysis, and comparison of places.

• Children make connections across topics and are able to explain how human and physical features interact locally and globally.

Monitoring Progress

• Teachers use beginning and end of topic assessments to establish what children know before a unit and what they have learned by the end, tracking the progression of knowledge and skills.

• Excel tracking spreadsheets are used to monitor individual lesson outcomes and assess progress against objectives, allowing teachers to identify gaps, adapt planning, and provide targeted support.

• Formative assessment is built into lessons through questioning, retrieval practice, practical tasks, and class discussions.

• Subject leaders carry out regular monitoring through book looks, planning reviews, learning walks, and pupil interviews to ensure high standards and consistency across the school.

The Role of Assessment

• Pre-topic assessments help inform planning by identifying prior knowledge and misconceptions.

• Post-topic assessments include written tasks, quizzes, and pupil reflection activities to demonstrate learning and retention.

• Assessment data is reviewed regularly to support curriculum development and ensure pupils are meeting expectations and making progress.

• This approach supports all learners, including those with SEND and disadvantaged backgrounds, to achieve success in Geography through adaptive teaching and scaffolding.

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By the end of Year 6, pupils have developed a broad and deep understanding of the world, are confident using maps and geographical data, and can approach global issues with curiosity and empathy. This reflects our school vision of enabling children to "let their light shine" as informed, responsible citizens—today, tomorrow and forever.

Enrichment Opportunities

We offer a range of exciting enrichment opportunities to spark curiosity and deepen understanding in Geography. These include hands-on fieldwork such as local area studies, and map-reading activities, allowing children to explore their environment firsthand. We also celebrate themed days like Earth Day ,  engaging in collaborative projects focused on sustainability and global awareness. 

 

 

 

Earth Day:

Earth Day

 

 

earth day.pdf

 " Wearing blue has made me think about the importance of not wasting water because we need to think about people who don't have any."

"We learned that rubbish in the water makes the fish sad. Now I always put my litter in the bin so the sea stays clean and happy!"

 Pupil Voice 

“Learning about how we can protect the environment made me want to help by recycling and saving water at home.”

“I like using maps and globes because it helps me find places and see where my family comes from.”

“In geography, we learn about how people live in different places and why some places are hot and others are cold. It makes me curious about the world.”

“Geography helps me learn about other people and cultures so I can be more kind and respectful.”

“I really enjoyed learning about the Arctic because it’s so different from where I live. I loved finding out about the animals like polar bears and seals, and how people survive in such a cold place. It made me want to visit one day!”

Useful Links for Parents and Pupils

Year 1: