Geography
Why do we teach Geography at Euler?
At Euler, our ambition in Geography is to inspire the children’s curiosity and fascination about the countries, cultures and people from around the world. Living in Hull and the surrounding area, we want our children to understand places, people, resources and natural and human environments. We are aware that many of our children have few opportunities to travel outside their immediate area and for this reason we want to promote practical fieldwork studies to give them memorable experiences in the wider community.
What is the Geography curriculum offer at Euler?
All pupils are taught Geography each term, each academic year. Our Geography curriculum meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. Our Geography long term plan sets out the order units of study are to be taught in. This ensures that children build on prior learning and revisit key vocabulary and concepts. We start all our Geography lessons with “Remember when…” This helps our children to retain information and make connections between events in Geography.
All Geography lessons are part of a sequence of learning. Each lesson has “sticky knowledge” we want the children to learn and vocabulary we want the children to use. Teachers use a range of strategies to help the pupils “know more, remember more”. This includes hands on learning, using a range of maps including digital and concrete maps, creating models, fieldwork visits, investigations, outdoor learning and analysing data. Vocabulary is displayed in lessons and often provided in a word bank.
How are knowledge and skills acquired in Geography?
Our Geography long term plan sets out what needs to be taught in each phase. This ensures progression of the following:
- National Curriculum expectations
- Sticky knowledge
- Vocabulary
We have identified key threads across our Geography curriculum to revisit over time, allowing the children to make gains in knowledge built on prior learning.
In Key Stage 1 the threads are:
- Geographical enquiry
- Position and Orientation
- Drawing Maps
- Symbols
In Key Stage 2 the threads are:
- Geographical enquiry
- Position and Orientation
- Drawing Maps
- Symbols
- Using maps
- Scale/distance
- Perspective
- Digital Mapping
What enrichment opportunities do pupils receive in Geography?
We have carefully selected school visits, experiences and visitors to enhance our Geography curriculum. School visits and visitors are integral to our sequences of learning and allow pupils to see the sticky knowledge come to life.
Examples of enrichment to enhance the teaching of Geography:
Key Stage 1:
| Unit of Study: | Experience: |
|---|---|
| My school in the locality | Feature hunt around the local area |
| The Seaside | Visit to Withernsea Lighthouse |
| Hot and Cold Places | Visit to The Deep |
| The Foreshore and Country Park | Visit to Hessle Foreshore |
Lower Key Stage 2:
| Unit of Study: | Experience |
|---|---|
| Mountains | Yorkshire Water Workshop |
| Villages, towns and cities | Visits to Skidby, Beverley and Hull City Centre |
| Rivers | Visit to the River Humber |
Upper Key Stage 2:
| Unit of Study: | Experience: |
|---|---|
| The Amazon and Deforestation | Amazon Rainforest Virtual Workshop |
| Coasts | Visit to Hornsea and Mappleton |
| Hull Docks and Marina | Visit to Hull Docks |
How do we know children are knowing more, remembering more?
We want all our children to feel success in their Geography lessons. Teachers assess within the lessons using observations of the children learning and by asking questions linked to the sequence of learning. At the end of each unit of study all children complete an online quiz based on questions about the sticky knowledge from the learning sequence.
“Our staff will have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and learning so that pupils can grow in confidence. “
“To provide a bespoke curriculum to meet social, emotional and mental health needs that builds resilience and confidence in pupils.”
“Our staff have high aspirations so that pupils will be broad in outlook to see beyond themselves, to reach confidently into a world of opportunity.”
“We are committed to equality of opportunity for all pupils, their families and for staff.”
“We value the positive contributions of stakeholders to improve outcomes for each pupil.”
“We value each pupil, as an individual with a unique potential to achieve.”
“Our classes will be small in number because our pupils have not succeeded within large mainstream classes. This allows our pupils to be supported to grow and learn in a caring and responsive group setting.”
“Our pupils and families are listened to.”
“To provide a purpose built, safe, highly structured and emotionally supportive environment.”
“To become a hub of expertise for inclusive practice which will support schools across the city.”
“To provide an effective broad and balanced curriculum which develops academic skill with a focus on reading, writing and mathematics.”
“We treat pupils, their families and staff fairly, regardless of their background, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.”
“To provide a specialist team of staff who understand the differing needs of pupils and enables them to access the curriculum and all allowing personal targets to be met”
“Our pupils and families feel special and belong to our supportive Euler community. “
“We value pupils’ personal development, including self-discipline, resilience and respect.”
“Our ethos is based on creating a nurturing and inclusive environment where care and mutual respect promote positive relationships.”
“Our staff know pupils and their families exceptionally well and build positive, productive relationships so all pupils succeed. “