Geography

Intent:
At Manorcroft Primary School, we believe that geography teaching should provide children with a sense of awe and wonder about the natural world. Our curriculum enables children to develop their knowledge and understanding of geographical places and things, and in turn, develop their skills in these areas. Children build on the skills and knowledge learnt year on year. This ensures that children are in a good position to access new learning. At Manorcroft, we intend that the teaching of geography provides children with opportunities to ask and answer their own questions through exploring, investigating and researching in order to gain a greater understanding of the world around them and their impact on it.

Implementation:
Across the whole school, we use Cornerstones as a tool to support the teaching of geography through a project based approach. This follows the knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum, 2014 and Early Years framework, 2021. The geography subject leader has carefully planned the projects that will take place to ensure careful coverage and progression of skills as well as for children to build on this each year. Our project based curriculum is designed to ensure that children remember more in the long term. At the end of their projects, children are given an innovate task to complete which asks them to apply their disciplinary knowledge and skills in context. For example, children in Year 4 create a tourism leaflet using their geographical knowledge to advertise the Lake District and children in Year 1 help Marley with his visit to London, letting him know what to wear for the weather and what to see and do. 

At Manorcroft, we provide the children with opportunities to learn geography within and beyond the classroom as part of our commitment to outdoor learning. We make use of the school grounds as well as the local community as we believe that hands-on experiences support good learning.

We also believe in and implement the promotion of geographical language; this is essential to successfully gain a deeper understanding of geographical concepts. It is important for children to have a sound grasp of geographical vocabulary in order to apply their knowledge e.g. knowing simple compass directions and locational and directional language allows a child to describe a route using a map.

Impact:
Children will be curious and engaged with geography teaching and learning, and will be confident with exploring the world around them. As children progress through the school, they will develop a deep knowledge, understanding and appreciation for their local area and its place within the wider geographical context. Overall, the impact of our geography curriculum is that children will be equipped with the geographical skills and knowledge that will enable then to be ready for secondary curriculum and for life as an adult in the wider world.