Our Geography curriculum is ambitious, coherent and carefully sequenced. It is designed to ensure that learners develop secure knowledge of places, environments, physical and human processes and the relationships between them.

Learners build an increasingly detailed understanding of their immediate locality, the United Kingdom, Europe and the wider world. They develop a sense of scale and recognise that places can be studied at local, regional, national and global levels.

The curriculum develops both substantive and disciplinary knowledge. Learners acquire knowledge about places, environments and geographical processes while also learning how geographers investigate, interpret and communicate information about the world.

Through the curriculum, learners develop an understanding of:

• location and place;
• space and scale;
• human and physical geography;
• environmental processes;
• interconnection;
• change over time;
• sustainability;
• geographical patterns;
• fieldwork;
• maps and spatial representation; and
• geographical enquiry.

Learners are taught to recognise that places are shaped by a combination of physical processes, human activity, history, culture, resources and decision-making. They explore how communities depend upon and influence their environments and how actions in one place may affect people and environments elsewhere.

Our curriculum reflects the requirements of the National Curriculum while also responding to the context of St Luke’s and the community we serve. Learners study their local area and London alongside contrasting locations in the United Kingdom and the wider world.

The curriculum is designed to broaden learners’ knowledge and challenge assumptions. Learners encounter a range of places, cultures, environments and ways of life. They are supported to understand diversity without presenting countries, continents or communities through stereotypes or oversimplified comparisons.

Environmental responsibility is developed through careful geographical study. Learners explore issues such as climate, resources, settlements, land use, biodiversity and sustainability in age-appropriate ways. They are encouraged to use evidence, consider different perspectives and understand that geographical issues may involve complex choices.

The curriculum is ambitious for every learner. Teachers make appropriate adaptations so that all learners can access important geographical knowledge, vocabulary, skills and concepts without unnecessarily reducing the intellectual demand of the subject.

By the end of Year 6, learners should have secure locational and place knowledge, understand important human and physical processes, interpret a range of geographical information and carry out increasingly independent enquiries. They should be able to explain connections between people, places and environments and be well prepared for the demands of secondary Geography.

Our Geography curriculum develops two closely connected forms of knowledge: substantive knowledge and disciplinary knowledge.

Substantive Knowledge

Substantive knowledge is knowledge about the world.

It includes knowledge of:

• continents, oceans, countries and regions;
• the United Kingdom and its constituent countries;
• cities, settlements and localities;
• physical features and landscapes;
• weather and climate;
• rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes;
• coasts and oceans;
• ecosystems and biomes;
• population and migration;
• settlements and land use;
• trade, resources and economic activity;
• environmental change;
• sustainability; and
• the ways people and places are interconnected.

Substantive knowledge enables learners to understand where places are located, what they are like, how they have developed and how they are connected to other places.

Learners revisit important geographical themes across different locations and scales. This helps them recognise patterns, make comparisons and understand that similar processes may have different effects in different places.

Disciplinary Knowledge

Disciplinary knowledge is knowledge of how geographers investigate and understand the world.

Learners are taught how to:

• ask geographical questions;
• identify and describe location;
• use maps, atlases and globes;
• interpret symbols, scales and keys;
• use compass directions and grid references;
• observe and record geographical features;
• collect and analyse fieldwork data;
• interpret photographs, diagrams, graphs and digital maps;
• identify patterns and relationships;
• compare places and environments;
• explain human and physical processes;
• consider different viewpoints;
• evaluate evidence;
• draw conclusions; and
• communicate geographical findings.

Learners are not expected simply to memorise place names or complete activities linked to a location. They are taught to think geographically by using evidence, recognising relationships, examining scale and considering how and why places differ and change.

Substantive and disciplinary knowledge are taught together. Learners need secure knowledge of places and processes before they can investigate geographical questions meaningfully. Equally, geographical enquiry enables them to apply, test and deepen what they know.

Our Geography curriculum is structured around a manageable group of recurring concepts. These concepts are introduced in age-appropriate ways and revisited with increasing depth and complexity.

Place

Learners develop knowledge of the characteristics of different places.

They explore:

• what a place is like;
• where it is located;
• how it is experienced by different people;
• how places are shaped by physical and human features;
• how places change over time; and
• how one place may be connected to another.

Learners understand that places are not defined only by their location. They are also shaped by identity, culture, history, environment and human activity.

Space

Learners explore how features, people and activities are distributed across the Earth’s surface.

They learn to recognise:

• patterns;
• distance;
• direction;
• movement;
• connections;
• distribution; and
• relationships between locations.

Spatial understanding helps learners interpret maps and explain why features and activities are found in particular places.

Scale

Learners study Geography at different levels.

They consider:

• the immediate local area;
• towns and cities;
• regions;
• countries;
• continents;
• oceans; and
• global systems.

They learn that geographical processes and issues can appear different depending on the scale at which they are examined.

Environment

Learners explore natural and human environments and the relationships between them.

They investigate:

• landscapes;
• ecosystems;
• climate;
• resources;
• settlements;
• land use; and
• the impact of human activity.

They learn that environments change through natural processes and human decisions.

Interconnection

Learners examine how people, places and environments are linked.

They explore connections through:

• transport;
• trade;
• migration;
• communication;
• resources;
• climate;
• rivers and oceans;
• economic activity; and
• cultural exchange.

They learn that actions in one location can have consequences elsewhere.

Change

Learners investigate how places and environments change over time.

They consider:

• physical change;
• urban development;
• population movement;
• changing land use;
• environmental change;
• technological development; and
• responses to geographical challenges.

They learn that change may be gradual or sudden and may affect groups and environments differently.

Human and Physical Processes

Learners develop an understanding of the processes that shape the world.

Physical processes include:

• weathering;
• erosion;
• the water cycle;
• river processes;
• coastal change;
• tectonic activity;
• weather; and
• climate.

Human processes include:

• settlement;
• migration;
• trade;
• tourism;
• industry;
• transport;
• agriculture; and
• urbanisation.

Learners examine how human and physical processes interact.

Sustainability

Learners consider how people can meet current needs while protecting environments and resources for the future.

They explore:

• responsible use of resources;
• climate change;
• biodiversity;
• waste;
• energy;
• food production;
• transport; and
• environmental decision-making.

Learners are encouraged to examine evidence, consider different viewpoints and recognise that geographical decisions may involve competing needs and priorities.

Geographical Enquiry

Learners ask questions and investigate the world using evidence.

They learn to:

• observe;
• collect information;
• interpret data;
• identify patterns;
• compare locations;
• explain processes;
• consider reliability;
• draw conclusions; and
• communicate findings.

Fieldwork is an important part of geographical enquiry because it enables learners to investigate real places and apply classroom learning directly.

Our Geography curriculum is implemented through carefully planned units that develop learners’ locational knowledge, understanding of places, knowledge of human and physical processes, fieldwork skills and geographical thinking over time.

St Luke’s uses Kapow Primary as an important resource to support curriculum planning and delivery. Subject leaders and teachers review and adapt the materials so that they reflect the National Curriculum, learners’ prior knowledge, the local context and the wider aims of the school’s curriculum.

Geography is taught as a distinct subject. Purposeful links are made with science, history, mathematics, English, computing, religious education and personal development where these connections deepen geographical understanding. These links do not replace the specific knowledge, concepts and methods of Geography.

Teachers introduce new learning in a clear sequence. They identify what learners already know, revisit essential prior knowledge and make explicit connections between earlier and current learning.

New content is broken into manageable steps so that learners can build secure understanding of:

• places and locations;
• human and physical features;
• geographical processes;
• patterns and relationships;
• environmental change;
• sustainability;
• maps and spatial representation; and
• fieldwork and enquiry.

Geographical enquiry is central to teaching. Learners encounter carefully framed questions that require them to:

• locate places accurately;
• observe and describe geographical features;
• compare places and environments;
• interpret maps, photographs and data;
• identify patterns;
• explain human and physical processes;
• investigate connections;
• consider different viewpoints;
• draw evidence-informed conclusions; and
• communicate geographical findings.

Teachers use clear explanations, modelling, questioning, discussion, practical investigation and guided practice to support learners in developing geographical understanding.

A range of appropriate geographical resources is used, including:

• maps;
• atlases;
• globes;
• aerial photographs;
• satellite images;
• digital mapping;
• diagrams;
• graphs;
• photographs;
• fieldwork equipment;
• weather and climate data;
• population information; and
• first-hand observations.

Learners are given regular opportunities to discuss, record, present and apply their knowledge. Tasks are selected because they deepen geographical understanding rather than simply provide an activity linked to a place or topic.

Retrieval, questioning and low-stakes assessment help learners revisit important knowledge, strengthen recall and identify gaps or misconceptions. Teachers respond by adapting explanations, revisiting content or providing further practice.

Fieldwork is planned as an integral part of the Geography curriculum. It enables learners to investigate real places, collect evidence and apply classroom knowledge in meaningful contexts.

Geography teaching is supported through curriculum guidance, shared planning, professional development and subject leadership. The Geography leader works with teachers to strengthen subject knowledge, improve consistency and ensure that the intended curriculum is taught effectively.

Our Geography curriculum is sequenced so that learners build increasingly secure and connected knowledge from the Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 6.

Progression is not understood simply as moving from one place or topic to another. It involves the planned development of:

• locational knowledge;
• place knowledge;
• understanding of human and physical processes;
• geographical vocabulary;
• map and spatial skills;
• fieldwork;
• interpretation of data;
• geographical enquiry;
• understanding of scale and interconnection; and
• increasing independence.

New units build on knowledge and concepts introduced previously. Teachers make these connections explicit so that learners can locate new learning within a wider geographical framework.

Early Years Foundation Stage

In Nursery and Reception, children begin to explore their immediate environment, recognise familiar places and notice differences between locations.

They use stories, maps, photographs, local walks and first-hand observation to develop early understanding of people, communities, natural environments and change.

Key Stage 1

In Key Stage 1, learners develop foundational knowledge of their local area, the United Kingdom, continents and oceans.

They begin to:

• name and locate important places;
• use simple maps, globes and atlases;
• identify human and physical features;
• use basic geographical vocabulary;
• compare contrasting places;
• observe weather and seasonal change;
• use simple compass directions;
• carry out local fieldwork; and
• ask and answer geographical questions.

Lower Key Stage 2

In Lower Key Stage 2, learners develop broader locational and place knowledge and investigate physical and human processes in greater depth.

They begin to:

• use a wider range of maps and atlases;
• locate countries, regions and significant physical features;
• use four-figure grid references;
• explain processes such as rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes;
• investigate settlements, trade and land use;
• compare places at different scales;
• collect and present fieldwork data; and
• identify patterns and relationships.

Upper Key Stage 2

In Upper Key Stage 2, learners deepen their understanding of geographical complexity and interconnection.

They are expected to:

• use increasingly precise locational knowledge;
• interpret maps and data independently;
• use six-figure grid references where appropriate;
• explain relationships between human and physical processes;
• examine environmental change and sustainability;
• compare places using a range of evidence;
• consider geographical issues from different viewpoints;
• design and carry out more independent fieldwork;
• draw reasoned conclusions; and
• communicate with increasing precision.

By the end of Year 6, learners should possess secure foundational geographical knowledge and the enquiry skills needed to engage successfully with secondary Geography.

Geographical vocabulary is deliberately selected, introduced, modelled and revisited throughout the curriculum.

Learners need secure vocabulary to understand places, processes, patterns and relationships. Vocabulary development is therefore embedded within curriculum planning rather than treated as an additional activity.

Teachers explicitly teach:

• locational language;
• vocabulary associated with human and physical features;
• terms connected with geographical processes;
• words used to describe scale and direction;
• map and fieldwork terminology;
• language used to compare places;
• environmental and sustainability vocabulary; and
• language needed to interpret and explain data.

This includes words and phrases such as:

• location;
• place;
• region;
• continent;
• ocean;
• country;
• city;
• settlement;
• landscape;
• environment;
• climate;
• weather;
• population;
• migration;
• trade;
• resource;
• urban;
• rural;
• physical feature;
• human feature;
• scale;
• grid reference;
• compass direction;
• interconnection; and
• sustainability.

The vocabulary selected becomes increasingly precise and sophisticated as learners move through the school.

Teachers support vocabulary development by:

• explaining words clearly;
• linking vocabulary to maps, images and real examples;
• modelling accurate use;
• revisiting terms across lessons and units;
• using glossaries and visual prompts where helpful;
• encouraging oral rehearsal;
• providing sentence structures where appropriate;
• checking understanding regularly; and
• expecting learners to use subject-specific language in speech and writing.

Purposeful classroom talk is an important part of Geography. Learners are given opportunities to:

• ask geographical questions;
• describe places and processes;
• compare locations;
• interpret evidence;
• explain patterns;
• discuss environmental issues;
• consider different viewpoints;
• justify conclusions; and
• present findings to different audiences.

Over time, learners should communicate geographical understanding with increasing confidence, accuracy and independence.

Assessment in Geography is used to determine what learners know, remember, understand and can apply.

It helps teachers identify whether learners have secured the intended knowledge and whether they can use that knowledge to think geographically. Assessment is used to inform teaching, address misconceptions and support curriculum improvement.

Teachers assess learning through a range of evidence, including:

• questioning and discussion;
• retrieval activities;
• observation during lessons;
• learners’ written work;
• map work;
• data interpretation;
• fieldwork;
• diagrams and models;
• presentations;
• quizzes and end-of-unit tasks;
• comparisons between places; and
• geographical enquiries.

Assessment focuses on both substantive and disciplinary knowledge.

Teachers consider whether learners can:

• locate important places accurately;
• use geographical vocabulary precisely;
• identify human and physical features;
• explain geographical processes;
• interpret maps, images and data;
• identify patterns and relationships;
• compare places and environments;
• understand scale and interconnection;
• use fieldwork evidence appropriately;
• consider different viewpoints;
• draw reasoned conclusions; and
• apply learning with increasing independence.

Teachers check understanding throughout lessons rather than waiting until the end of a unit. Misconceptions are identified and addressed promptly through further explanation, modelling, practical work, discussion or retrieval.

Assessment is proportionate and purposeful. It is not based solely on the quantity of written work or the presentation of a book. What learners can explain, demonstrate and apply is considered alongside their recorded outcomes.

Where learners have gaps in prior knowledge, teachers revisit essential content and provide appropriate support. Adaptations are made without unnecessarily reducing the ambition or breadth of the curriculum.

Subject leaders use assessment evidence to identify:

• strengths in curriculum implementation;
• areas of inconsistency;
• concepts that require further emphasis;
• gaps in locational knowledge;
• weaknesses in fieldwork or map skills;
• groups who may not be participating or achieving as well as expected;
• professional development needs; and
• areas where curriculum sequencing or resources should be refined.

The impact of our Geography curriculum can be seen in what learners know, remember, understand and can do.

We evaluate whether learners have developed secure knowledge of places, environments, human and physical processes and whether they can use that knowledge to investigate geographical questions and explain connections.

Over time, learners should demonstrate:

• secure knowledge of important locations;
• increasing confidence in using maps, atlases and globes;
• an understanding of human and physical features;
• increasingly detailed knowledge of geographical processes;
• the ability to compare places at different scales;
• an understanding of how people, places and environments are interconnected;
• increasingly precise use of geographical vocabulary;
• the ability to interpret maps, photographs, graphs and data;
• confidence in collecting and using fieldwork evidence;
• recognition of geographical patterns and relationships;
• an understanding of environmental change;
• an ability to consider sustainability and competing viewpoints;
• increasingly reasoned geographical conclusions;
• improved confidence in discussion and written communication; and
• greater independence in geographical enquiry.

Impact is evaluated through a range of evidence, including:

• discussions with learners;
• work in books and portfolios;
• map and data tasks;
• fieldwork outcomes;
• lesson visits;
• assessment activities;
• retrieval of prior learning;
• presentations;
• curriculum reviews;
• subject leadership monitoring;
• participation in visits and enrichment; and
• learners’ readiness for the next stage.

No single source of evidence is used in isolation.

Leaders consider whether the intended curriculum has been taught effectively, whether learners have learned it securely and whether all groups have benefited from it. Particular attention is given to the experiences and outcomes of learners with SEND, disadvantaged learners, learners with English as an additional language and those who may have gaps in learning.

Where evaluation identifies weaknesses or inconsistency, leaders refine curriculum planning, provide further professional development and review the impact of subsequent action.

By the end of Year 6, learners should be curious, knowledgeable and increasingly independent geographers. They should be able to locate places accurately, explain geographical processes, interpret evidence and understand how people and environments are connected.

They should be well prepared for secondary education and recognise that geographical understanding can help them make informed and responsible decisions about the world.

Our Geography curriculum is ambitious for every learner. All learners are entitled to study the same important places, processes, concepts and geographical questions while receiving the support they need to participate meaningfully and achieve well.

Teachers identify potential barriers and adapt teaching without unnecessarily reducing the intellectual challenge of the subject. Adaptations are selected in response to individual need and the demands of the geographical content being taught.

These may include:

• explicit teaching and pre-teaching of vocabulary;
• clear explanations supported by maps, photographs, diagrams and models;
• breaking complex processes into manageable steps;
• revisiting essential locational knowledge;
• using accessible texts and data;
• modelling how to interpret maps and graphs;
• guided questions and structured prompts;
• oral rehearsal before written responses;
• sentence starters and writing frames where appropriate;
• adapted fieldwork equipment;
• alternative ways to record or communicate findings;
• additional opportunities for practice and retrieval;
• carefully planned adult support; and
• practical and visual approaches to abstract concepts.

Maps, atlases, globes, aerial photographs and digital mapping help learners develop spatial understanding and make connections between places. Teachers use real examples and concrete experiences to make abstract geographical processes more accessible.

For learners with English as an additional language, teachers support understanding through explicit vocabulary instruction, visual resources, purposeful talk and opportunities to rehearse geographical explanations before communicating independently.

Learners who have gaps in prior knowledge receive timely support so that they can access current learning. Additional teaching is designed to reconnect learners with the curriculum rather than replace it with unrelated or less ambitious work.

Learners who demonstrate secure understanding are encouraged to deepen their thinking by interpreting more complex data, comparing places at different scales, considering contrasting viewpoints and designing increasingly independent enquiries.

Teachers and leaders review participation as well as written outcomes. They consider whether learners contribute to discussion, use maps and fieldwork equipment confidently, participate in visits and investigations, and develop confidence as geographers.

In Nursery and Reception, children begin to develop the foundations of geographical understanding through the area of learning: Understanding the World.

Children explore familiar places, people, communities and natural environments through first-hand experience, stories, maps, photographs, observations and local walks.

Through carefully planned provision and adult interaction, children are encouraged to:

• talk about where they live;
• recognise familiar places and routes;
• describe features of their immediate environment;
• notice similarities and differences between places;
• explore maps and simple plans;
• observe weather and seasonal change;
• investigate plants, animals and natural materials;
• learn about different communities and environments;
• identify simple human and physical features;
• develop early positional and directional language; and
• ask questions about the world around them.

Children begin to use words and phrases such as:

• near and far;
• next to;
• behind and in front;
• local;
• map;
• route;
• land;
• water;
• weather;
• season;
• town;
• country; and
• environment.

Local walks, outdoor learning, stories, role play, photographs and family contributions help children build a sense of place and belonging.

Adults model observation and questioning and encourage children to describe what they see, compare environments and explain simple changes.

These early experiences prepare children for Key Stage 1 by developing their language, curiosity, spatial awareness and understanding of people, places and environments.

Our Geography curriculum enables learners to encounter a broad range of places, communities, cultures and environments from Britain and the wider world.

We aim to represent places accurately, respectfully and with appropriate complexity. Learners are supported to understand that countries, continents and communities are diverse and should not be reduced to a single image, story or way of life.

Curriculum content is reviewed to ensure that learners encounter:

• urban and rural places;
• communities from different regions and continents;
• a range of cultures, languages and traditions;
• places with differing levels of wealth and access to resources;
• varied physical landscapes and environments;
• migration and movement;
• local and global interdependence;
• different responses to environmental challenges; and
• contrasting viewpoints about geographical issues.

Representation is not treated as an isolated theme or token addition. It is considered when selecting case studies, photographs, maps, texts, statistics and examples.

Teachers avoid presenting places through stereotypes, deficit language or oversimplified comparisons. Learners are encouraged to ask:

• Who lives in this place?
• How might different people experience it?
• What similarities and differences are visible?
• What evidence supports this description?
• What may be missing from this account?
• How might the place be changing?

Learners also consider how maps, photographs and data can shape perceptions of places. They learn that geographical representations are selected and created for particular purposes and may not show the whole picture.

Through this approach, learners develop a more informed, respectful and balanced understanding of the world and the communities within it.

Local Geography is an important part of our curriculum because it enables learners to investigate the places and environments around them.

St Luke’s is situated within Lambeth and London, providing rich opportunities to explore settlement, transport, land use, green spaces, community, environmental quality and change over time.

Local geographical study may include:

• the immediate school environment;
• routes to and from school;
• local land use;
• housing and buildings;
• transport networks;
• parks and green spaces;
• environmental quality;
• population and community;
• weather observations;
• local services;
• change and development; and
• connections between Lambeth, London and the wider world.

Fieldwork is planned as an integral part of the curriculum. It allows learners to observe real places, collect evidence and apply classroom knowledge in meaningful contexts.

Fieldwork may include:

• local walks;
• sketch maps;
• traffic surveys;
• environmental quality surveys;
• weather recording;
• land-use mapping;
• questionnaires and interviews;
• photographic records;
• river or coastal investigations where appropriate;
• measurement and sampling;
• data presentation; and
• evaluation of findings.

Enrichment opportunities may include:

• visits to local parks and environmental sites;
• workshops with geographical or environmental organisations;
• use of digital maps and satellite imagery;
• visits to rivers, coasts or contrasting localities;
• outdoor learning;
• sustainability projects;
• Eco Ambassador activity;
• community mapping;
• exhibitions of learners’ work; and
• participation in environmental campaigns.

Before fieldwork or visits, learners are prepared with the knowledge, vocabulary and practical guidance needed to participate successfully. Afterwards, teachers provide opportunities for learners to analyse evidence, make connections and draw conclusions.

Leaders consider whether all groups of learners can participate in fieldwork and wider opportunities. Where barriers exist, appropriate steps are taken to promote equitable access.

Geography contributes strongly to learners’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Through the study of people, places and environments, learners encounter questions about responsibility, fairness, resources, sustainability, community, migration, inequality and environmental change.

They are encouraged to consider:

• how people depend on environments;
• how human decisions affect places;
• how resources are used and shared;
• why communities develop differently;
• how geographical change affects different groups;
• how actions in one place may affect another;
• what responsible environmental decision-making involves; and
• how people can contribute positively to their local and global communities.

Geography helps learners understand complexity and interdependence. It creates opportunities for evidence-informed discussion, respectful disagreement and thoughtful consideration of different viewpoints.

The subject also contributes to learners’ understanding of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. These ideas are explored through geographical contexts such as community decision-making, migration, resource use and environmental responsibility.

Our school values are developed meaningfully through Geography.

Kindness

Learners consider the experiences of people in different places and develop concern for communities and environments affected by change, inequality or natural hazards.

Respect

Learners engage respectfully with different cultures, communities, beliefs and ways of life. They avoid stereotypes and recognise the value of diverse perspectives.

Confidence

Learners develop confidence by asking questions, using maps and data, participating in fieldwork, presenting findings and expressing evidence-informed views.

Excellence

Learners pursue excellence by locating places accurately, using geographical vocabulary precisely, interpreting evidence carefully and producing well-reasoned explanations.

Through Geography, learners are encouraged to become informed, curious and responsible members of their communities.

The subject supports our vision to Believe, Achieve and Thrive by helping learners believe that they can understand and influence the world around them, achieve through disciplined enquiry and thrive as responsible citizens who value people, places and the environment.

Families can support Geography learning by encouraging curiosity about places, people and the environment.

The most valuable support does not require families to teach new curriculum content. Instead, parents and carers can help learners connect school learning with everyday journeys, local places, maps, news, weather and conversations about the wider world.

Families can support learning by:

• talking about routes and journeys;
• using maps, atlases and globes;
• identifying countries, continents and oceans;
• noticing human and physical features;
• discussing weather and seasonal change;
• exploring local parks, streets and landmarks;
• talking about where food, clothing and other products come from;
• discussing age-appropriate geographical news;
• encouraging learners to explain what they have studied;
• practising key vocabulary;
• comparing places carefully; and
• encouraging questions about how people and environments are connected.

When discussing places and geographical issues, families can use questions such as:

• Where is this place?
• What is it like?
• What human and physical features can you identify?
• How is it similar to or different from another place?
• Why might people choose to live there?
• How has this place changed?
• What evidence supports this view?
• How are people and environments connected?
• What challenges does this place face?
• What could make this place more sustainable?

Maps and photographs are particularly useful for strengthening geographical understanding. Families can encourage learners to locate places, follow routes, interpret symbols and compare different representations of the same area.

Any online resources recommended by the school will be selected carefully to ensure that they are age-appropriate, reliable and consistent with the curriculum.

Families who would like further guidance about supporting Geography learning should contact the school.

Our Geography curriculum is planned so that learners develop increasingly secure locational knowledge, place knowledge, understanding of human and physical processes, fieldwork skills and geographical thinking.

The content taught in each year group is informed by the National Curriculum and supported by Kapow Primary resources. Teachers and subject leaders review and adapt units to reflect prior learning, the local context and the needs of learners.

The summaries below should be read alongside the whole-school Geography curriculum overview and progression documents.

Nursery

Children begin to explore familiar places, routes, environments, weather and seasonal change.

They develop early positional language, notice similarities and differences between places and begin to talk about the world around them.

Reception

Children deepen their understanding of people, communities and environments through local walks, stories, maps, photographs and first-hand observation.

They begin to identify simple human and physical features and compare familiar and contrasting places.

Year 1

Learners develop foundational knowledge of the local area, the United Kingdom, continents and oceans.

They use simple maps, globes and atlases, identify human and physical features, use compass directions and carry out introductory fieldwork.

Year 2

Learners extend their locational and place knowledge and compare contrasting locations.

They develop confidence in using maps and aerial photographs, explore weather and climate, and begin to explain simple geographical patterns and connections.

Year 3

Learners study places and physical processes in greater depth.

They use a wider range of maps and begin to develop stronger understanding of features such as rivers, mountains, volcanoes and settlements.

Year 4

Learners deepen their understanding of human and physical Geography.

They compare regions, investigate land use and environmental change, use grid references and collect and present fieldwork data.

Year 5

Learners examine increasingly complex geographical processes and interconnections.

They explore trade, resources, migration, climate, population and sustainability and interpret a wider range of maps, graphs and data.

Year 6

Learners draw together knowledge from across the curriculum.

They compare places at different scales, investigate complex geographical issues, evaluate evidence, conduct increasingly independent fieldwork and communicate reasoned conclusions.

The exact units studied in each year group should be listed or linked below.

Year-Group Curriculum Links

• Nursery Geography and Understanding the World overview
• Reception Geography and Understanding the World overview
• Year 1 Geography overview
• Year 2 Geography overview
• Year 3 Geography overview
• Year 4 Geography overview
• Year 5 Geography overview
• Year 6 Geography overview

The following documents provide further information about the Geography curriculum at St Luke’s.

Core Geography Documents

• Whole-School Geography Curriculum Overview
• Geography Progression of Knowledge and Skills
• Geography Substantive Knowledge Progression
• Geography Disciplinary Knowledge Progression
• Geography Key Concepts Progression
• Geography Vocabulary Progression
• Geography Fieldwork Progression
• Geography Map Skills Progression
• Geography Curriculum by Year Group
• Geography Enrichment and Local Fieldwork Overview
• Geography Policy

The Geography subject leader works with teachers, senior leaders and governors to support the quality, consistency and development of Geography across the school.

The subject leader ensures that the intended curriculum is ambitious, coherent, inclusive and accurately represented in published information.

Subject leadership includes:

• reviewing curriculum plans and progression documents;
• checking alignment with the National Curriculum;
• ensuring that links from EYFS to Year 6 are clear;
• supporting teachers’ geographical subject knowledge;
• reviewing the use and adaptation of Kapow Primary resources;
• identifying appropriate professional development;
• evaluating learners’ work;
• speaking with learners about their knowledge and experiences;
• visiting lessons;
• reviewing assessment information;
• checking the development of locational knowledge;
• monitoring map and fieldwork skills;
• evaluating inclusion and participation;
• reviewing local Geography and enrichment opportunities;
• identifying strengths and inconsistencies;
• reviewing the impact of improvement actions; and
• refining curriculum content and resources where necessary.

The subject leader considers whether learners are building secure knowledge over time and whether they can apply this knowledge through geographical enquiry.

Particular attention is given to whether:

• important content is being taught consistently;
• learners remember prior learning;
• locational knowledge develops securely;
• substantive and disciplinary knowledge are appropriately balanced;
• teachers identify and address misconceptions;
• learners with SEND access an ambitious curriculum;
• disadvantaged learners participate fully;
• assessment is purposeful;
• fieldwork is progressive and meaningful;
• enrichment strengthens curriculum learning; and
• learners are prepared for the next stage.

The Geography leader reports relevant findings to senior leaders and governors. Evaluation informs curriculum refinement, professional development, resource decisions and school improvement planning.

The published Geography page and linked documents are reviewed regularly to ensure that they remain current and reflect actual practice.

Further information about the History curriculum is available from the school.

Parents and carers can request:

• more detailed information about the content taught in a particular year group;
• copies of curriculum overviews;
• information about progression;
• guidance on supporting History learning at home;
• accessible versions of published curriculum documents; and
• clarification about visits, enrichment or curriculum resources.

Please contact the school office through the contact details provided on the school website.

Paper copies of curriculum information can be provided on request.

The school welcomes constructive feedback about the accessibility and usefulness of its curriculum information. Published content is reviewed regularly to ensure that it remains accurate, clear and consistent with the curriculum learners receive.