Geography
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
Geography Intent
Geography at Holy Family promotes children’s curiosity and understanding of diversity in our world in relation to places, people, resources and natural and human environments, alongside nurturing children’s understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.
We hold our local community in high esteem. We provide children with opportunities to investigate and make enquiries about their local areas of Swindon and Wiltshire, so that they can develop of real sense of who they are, their heritage and what makes our community unique and special.
We encourage our students to think, act and speak like those working in a geographical field would: to research thoroughly, to collect and analyse data, to use maps, globes, aerial photographs and digital mapping to develop their knowledge of our world and to communicate their knowledge in different ways: skills which are invaluable to their future lives in education and beyond.
Aims
- An excellent knowledge of where places are and what they are like.
- An excellent understanding of the ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected and how much human and physical environments are interrelated.
- An extensive base of geographical knowledge and vocabulary.
- Fluency in complex, geographical enquiry and the ability to apply questioning skills and use effective analytical and presentational techniques.
- The ability to reach clear conclusions and develop a reasoned argument to explain findings.
- Significant levels of originality, imagination or creativity as shown in interpretations and representations of the subject matter.
- Highly developed and frequently utilised fieldwork and other geographical skills and techniques.
- A passion for and commitment to the subject, and a real sense of curiosity to find out about the world and the people who live there.
The ability to express well-balanced opinions, rooted in very good knowledge and understanding about current and contemporary issues in society and the environment
Geography Implemntation
In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 geography is taught through a two year rolling cycle programme of study. Pupils are taught in sequences of lessons and topics where their geographical skills and concepts are built, reinforced, and transferred into other contexts, allowing children to deepen their understanding and remember what they learn.
We structure learning in geography through question led enquiries about relevant geographical topics, places and themes. Our curriculum is therefore ‘knowledge rich’ rather than content heavy.
Our carefully structured Geography curriculum provides opportunities to build cultural capital and, through exposure in Geography lessons to life-skills such as British Values, the diversity of the world and spiritual, moral, cultural and social development, enable pupils to become well-rounded members of society in preparation for later life.
Geography Impact
Our pupils leave Holy Family Catholic Primary School as global citizens with the knowledge to think, act and speak like a geographer and they value the transference of these skills into their everyday life, in education and beyond.
Curriculum Documents
Holy Family Whole School Overview
Progression of Knowledge and Skills