Geography

Geography at Four Lanes Infant School

Geography in Action!

Photos coming soon!

Geography at Four Lanes Infant School

Intent

At Four Lanes Infant School, we teach geography as a means of exploring, appreciating and understanding the world in which we live and our place in it. The pupils will learn about their local environment and community as well as the wider world. We want our children to develop skills in recognising, describing, explaining, comparing and evaluating human and physical geographical elements with technical vocabulary being accurately used and applied. We aim to produce independent and evaluative thinkers who have empathy for how others live to develop an awareness, respect and curiosity for different cultures, societies and the physical world around them. They will have opportunities to ask questions, work collaboratively and enjoy field work, trips and other experiences that enrich their understanding. 

Implementation

In Early Years our children begin their geography learning journey through understanding their world and the children are encouraged to share their experiences, observations and knowledge, develop skills of investigation and ask and answer questions. They explore the similarities and differences between their experiences and others and begin to learn about different communities and cultures through enhanced provision, discrete lessons, field work and trips. As the children move into Key Stage 1, geography is taught through discrete lessons within an overarching topic. Strong cross-curricular links are apparent particularly with science (e.g. habitats, seasonal change). Pupils will develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They will learn to use basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including through the use of maps, globes, atlases and IT (e.g. Google Earth), to enhance their locational awareness. Pupils will develop an understanding of geographical similarities and differences through studying different areas within the United Kingdom, and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country (Kenya). Links to prior learning are made through all geography units in order to embed previously learned concepts and knowledge allowing children to become more confident with their geographical knowledge and skills.

Impact

When pupils leave us at the end of Key Stage 1 they will:

• Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key physical and human features.
• Be able to talk about seasonal and daily weather patterns in the UK.
• Locate hot and cold areas in the world in relation to the equator and the poles.
• Name and locate continents and oceans of the world.
• Name and locate four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and the surrounding seas.
• Understand geographical similarities and differences between different places of the world.
• Use simple fieldwork and observational skills as well as maps, atlases, globes, aerial photographs and planned perspectives.
• Be able to devise a simple map using basic symbols in a key.
• Use simple compass directions and locational and directional language when using maps.