At Earlsmead Primary School, we believe that Geography develops children's understanding of places and environments. Through their work in Geography, children learn about the local area, and they compare their life in this area with that in other regions in the United Kingdom and in the rest of the world. Children must learn how to create good geographical enquiries and how these fit into current arguments and debates. This is achieved through a growing knowledge and understanding of human geography, that allows children to gain an appreciation of life in other cultures. Geography teaching also motivates children to find out about the physical world, and enables them to recognise the importance of sustainable development for the future of the environment.

At Earlsmead, Geography is taught following the Haringey Education Partnership Primary Humanities Curriculum. The curriculum was designed taking into account the scope, rigour, coherence and sequencing to make our children understand the knowledge they will need to thrive in life. Geography is taught with a specific enquiry question in mind, which guides the focus for the unit. Enquiry questions allow children to think as geographers do and interact with real world arguments and discussions; such as, climate change and how we as humans interact with the world around us. Cross-curricular links are made with literacy lessons to further strengthen termly themes.

At Earlsmead, children’s work and school displays are evidence of a broad and balanced Geography curriculum that demonstrates children’s learning of substantive and disciplinary knowledge across the curriculum. Substantive knowledge is what children learn in lessons, such as how rivers and volcanoes are formed. Disciplinary knowledge is how children interact with the subject of Geography to think as geographers and make links with how humans interact with their environment and interpreting data from maps. Children are given the opportunity to showcase what they know in big tasks at the end of each unit, through diagrams and writing, building on previous knowledge they have learnt. As children progress through the school, they develop a deep understanding of geographical knowledge and thinking in the wider context of the world around them.

Assessment

Assessment is used to monitor progress and to identify any child needing additional support as soon as they need it.

Formative assessment is used:

• • Weekly in class during lessons to identify children requiring additional support, so that misconceptions are addressed immediately

Summative assessment is used:

• • At the end of each unit to assess progress, to identify gaps in learning that needs to be addressed and identify any child that may need additional support.