National Curriculum

Curriculum Statement
Geography

"Without geography you’re nowhere."

Content of the Geography Curriculum
The geography curriculum at Pittington Primary School supports and supplements the National Curriculum by reflecting the needs of our children and the context of the school.

The geography curriculum follows a theme based approach whilst offering the children a range of relevant and purposeful experiences that will enable them to develop their geographical skills and fieldwork, their understanding of location and place knowledge and the features of human and physical geography.

The children will be given opportunities to:

• Develop their contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine, including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes.
• Understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, and how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time.
• Collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes 
• interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
• communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.

Assessment of Geography
At Pittington Primary it is our intention that all children will at least reach their age related expectations as described in the National Curriculum. However, through a curriculum that is challenging and relevant to the children we expect children to achieve greater than age related expectations.

Children who are not meeting age related expectations will be supported by staff through differentiated tasks and targeted small group work. The direct use of key questions and targeted support will be offered to ensure that any gaps between groups of children are closed.

Assessment of the children’s geography skills will be assessed by the class teacher. There will be a range of evidence to support teacher judgement including recorded work in books, photographs, fieldwork and assessed pieces of work.

Monitoring of Geography
The quality of the learning across the school is monitored by the Subject Link Teacher.

Monitoring includes the Subject Link Teacher observing learning within lessons, undertaking scrutiny of planning and work, as well as discussions with children. Analysis of data is also undertaken to ensure that standards are high and that improvements are made where necessary.

Training is offered to all Subject Link Teachers to ensure that their knowledge and skills are up to date and accurate.

The Subject Link Teacher meets with the Special Interest Governor Geography to share school improvement plan initiatives with them and ensure that governors are aware of standards across the school.