Geography
Intent
At CVIS we aim to provide a geography curriculum that fosters a sense of wonder, teaches the children key knowledge and enlightens them about the earth, it’s people and the environments.
The children will gain locational knowledge about the world and will be able to recall the names of countries, capital cities, continents and oceans. The children will use a range of geographical sources in their lessons including maps, globes, diagrams, videos and aerial photographs to locate key places and bring their learning to life. The children will also gain place knowledge by developing an understanding into the characteristics and features of different places.
The children will become geographers by using compass directions, devising simple maps, making observations and using grid references. We are committed to getting children outside to see the world. Through enriching experiences like following maps around the school and going on walks in the Churchdown local area children can have real experiences and make connections with their learning.
Geography in the Early Years
In Reception, as part of “Understanding the World”, the children will describe their immediate environment using knowledge from observation, discussion, stories, non-fiction texts and maps. The children will learn about similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries and how the environments differ. They will also understand some important changes in the natural world including the seasons. The children will consolidate their learning by completing play-based activities for example creating cherry blossom artwork linked to spring or making their own maps.
Geography in Key Stage 1
In KS1 the geography curriculum ensures children are taught about local, national and global geography. The children will learn about their school, their street, the United Kingdom, the continents and oceans and poles and equators. We aim to illuminate our young children to how diverse their world is. The children are also taught about contrasting localities such as Gloucester and Kingston Jamaica. We encourage the children to ask geographical questions about the places they are studying so they can develop enquiry skills.
The National Curriculum
We have carefully mapped the history curriculum so that it is progressive and children build upon their learning. Unit guides support teaching with core knowledge, disciplinary knowledge and vocabulary clearly defined.
Fieldwork - Our Street
Fieldwork Our School
What the children say
“Geography is looking at and understanding our world and everything in it” (Year 1)
“I like learning about the United Kingdom and it’s capital cities” (Year 1)
Supporting your child at home
The curriculum content may appear daunting, but don’t panic — you are already an accomplished geographer! Your daily life constantly provides you with rich geographical experiences, information and understanding. You think and act geographically, often without realising it. It comes naturally … as you navigate your way around your home and neighbourhood; as you make sense of local and world news; as you respond to the weather forecast, as you decide on a holiday location and how to get there.
When out and about in your local area, you can help your child geographically by chatting about the human and physical features that you can see.
Talk to your children about where they live. Discuss how they live in the United Kingdom, talk about the countries that make up the United Kingdom and their capital cities. Point out the town, city, county and country that your child lives in. You can even teach your child their address and postcode.
On a journey, you can share the road map or map phone app with your son or daughter so they can follow the route while you talk about where you are going. Alternatively, ask them to draw a map of their journey to school or a shop and get them to add human and physical features and draw a key with some symbols.
Holidays are an ideal opportunity to compare the location with their local area — you might talk to your child about the weather, landscape, food, culture and population. Holidays also provide an opportunity for a museum visit or a trip to a tourist attraction.
Closer to home, use anything at your disposal! Magazines, TV, films, books, globes and YouTube videos can provide your children with a view of distant places. Exploring google maps can also be a really fun way of looking at a new place. Prompt their thinking with questions, such as: What might the weather be like in this place? Why might the road have been built where it is? The list of questions is endless and will lead to all sorts of discussions which will really help to develop curiosity about, and understanding of, the world.
Books supporting our Geography Curriculum
Curriculum Documents
Discover more about our Geography Curriculum at Churchdown Village Infant School from the documents links below: