At Long Row Primary and Nursery School, we believe that geography helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. Children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. Geography is, by nature, an investigative subject, which develops an understanding of concepts, skills and knowledge. Our geography curriculum brings together the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2021), National Curriculum (2014), the principles of Guerrilla teaching and the cultural capital of the school. The geography curriculum at Long Row is carefully planned and structured to ensure that current learning is linked to previous learning, and that the school’s approaches are informed by current pedagogy.
Geography is covered over a 2-year cycle in KS1 and KS2 during our 'explore term' of the year (spring), and is covered in EYFS throughout the year. Even though all of our children become geographers during the spring term, our learning in this subject is woven into other subjects throughout the year. The geography curriculum at Long Row Primary and Nursery School aims to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the world, which will remain with them for the rest of their lives. We aim to promote the children’s interest and understanding of diverse places, natural and human environments, people and resources. The curriculum is designed to develop knowledge and skills that are progressive, as well as transferable, throughout their time at Long Row and also to their further education and beyond. Our curriculum is successfully adapted, designed or developed to be ambitious and meet the needs of pupils with SEND - developing their knowledge, skills and abilities, to apply what they know and can do with increasing fluency and independence.
Geography is taught on a weekly basis during the spring term, with at least 2 lessons a week that last between 1 and 2 hours. Sometimes a day may be given over to geography for enrichment activities, so the children can become fully immersed in the learning that is taking place during that experience. A range of activities are planned throughout each topic to help engage the children in their learning. Each lesson builds on the children’s prior learning and reference is made to what the children have learnt previously to ensure they are remembering what they have already been taught. Cross-curricular outcomes in geography are specifically planned for, enabling further contextual learning.