Researching Geography
The journey continues from here...
Intent for 2022/23 - Actions identified from 21/22 Impact Review
Geography is a broad, complex subject and we felt the need to use an established scheme (Oak Academy) to use a framework to underpin what is already well established in our Geography curriculum (originally based on Chris Quigley Scheme). The Oak Academy scheme is sequential and builds on prior learning whilst still allowing us to adapt to our local context. This document gives an overview of the Geography curriculum at Little Green and measured using the National Curriculum Study Programme to ensure that we have the right coverage to successfully progress learners across Key Stages. (We recommend that Oak Academy is used as a minimum for identifying lesson intentions to apply to our context and it is strongly advised that this is made concurrent with your existing curriculum topics, but it may be that some of the lesson content is useful too).
These are other areas of Geography that we are working on to develop:
The use of Geography and History books to develop a better understanding of the subject and for children to reflect on prior learning.
Year groups continue to develop consistencies across books through their work.
Lessons to clearly highlight the geographical skills being taught (to be checked in line with the curriculum map).
To develop different strategies to develop mapping skills through: computing and other mediums.
The use of 'Useful to know... sheet' to contain key topic words and essential facts for children to learn by the end of the topic or to refer.
Finally, to look at ways to develop geographical skills and fieldwork across all year groups.
Implementation
'Agreed Consistencies' at Little Green Junior School:
In every lesson, the teacher will have prepared a scaffolded support sheet, or 'Useful to know...' sheet.
Teachers will use Working Walls regularly where appropriate to support all learners with their work.
Scaffolded materials will be provided for learners who need support accessing the class objective. This should include, but is not limited to: worked examples, adult support, models, concrete resources, word banks and digital resources.
Teachers to refer and update context sheet to understand and develop correct support for SEN learners.
Developing use of Fieldwork
Year 3
Make a map and explore the school/local area using aerial photographs and physical features.
Year 4
Fieldwork trip to a local river, in order to measure width, depth and flow of the river.
Year 5
Local area observation/investigation (eg car count by colour/vehicle type) - linked to maths/graphing.
Year 6
Undergo a local area walk and compare to current and historical maps to explore how land use has changed over time.
Evidence of Geography
Impact Review 2022-2023
Subject overview: This year, we have successfully implemented the new curriculum map to ensure the steady progression of geographical skills taught in each year group. Most year groups have taken the initiative to create their own scheme of work, aligning it with the curriculum map's objectives, or have chosen to adapt the Oak Academy scheme of work to cater to their specific class needs. The lesson slides provide great opportunities for the children to reflect on their learning throughout the lesson by clear and impactful questions linking to the learning intent. Each year the group has designed suitable lesson slides and activities that cater to the unique requirements of their classes, adopting a more hands-on approach to Geography and incorporating clear cross-curricular links, especially with Art and History.
Key strengths: Throughout the year, there has been a consistent coverage of Geography across all Year groups, ensuring that every child has equal access to the lessons. The lesson slides are informative and contain essential information to aid their learning process. The ‘Useful to know sheet’ has been consistently used in various ways to cater to the specific needs of each year group. The narrations provided are clear and effective, enabling the children to reflect on the intent of the lessons.There have been commendable cross-curricular links established to enhance the overall learning experience with a range of activities allowing the children of all needs to engage well in Geography. The use of geography and history books will further enable the children to perceive their clear progression from the beginning to the end of the year and foster a deeper understanding of the skills they have acquired.
Key Areas for Development: In planning the new curriculum map we noticed a gap and ensured that fieldwork was included in each year group's curriculum. However, this area requires further development to ensure effective coverage, and to further support staff to teach this they need access to appropriate resources to aid their teaching. The inclusion of 'Useful to know sheet' in every lesson is beneficial, but for greater effectiveness, a standardised layout should be adopted to help children utilise them more efficiently. While the narrations are used effectively, there is a need for consistent sentence starters or additional support to enable children to make the most of them and apply the information successfully.
Summary of Targets:
Improve the use and consistency of the ‘Useful to know’ sheets across all subjects and year groups to enhance their effectiveness as learning aids.
Strengthen children's subject knowledge in Geography through Guided Reading lessons, with a particular focus on supporting EAL learners and students with SEN to ensure they have a solid understanding of key words and topics.
Explore and implement various strategies to develop mapping skills, incorporating computing and other mediums to engage students and cater to different learning styles.
Ensure the consistent and standardised use of the 'Useful to know sheet' throughout all lessons to provide students with a reliable resource for reinforcing learning.
Promote the use of fieldwork in various subjects, and provide necessary resources and training to enable teachers to effectively incorporate fieldwork into their lessons.
Create a quiz or a set of questions that can be used to revisit prior learning, reinforcing concepts and allowing students to regularly review their understanding of essential topics.