Intent

At LAPW, our intent for Geography is to cultivate curious, knowledgeable, and responsible global citizens who understand and appreciate the interconnectedness of the world and their place within it.

Through engaging and inquiry-based learning experiences, we aim to develop a deep understanding of key geographical concepts. Children will explore fundamental concepts such as location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, and region, building a strong foundation for future learning. We aim to foster an appreciation for the diversity of our planet. We will encourage children to investigate and respect the variety of natural environments, human societies, cultures, and economies across the globe. Children will learn to ask meaningful questions, gather and analyse geographical information, evaluate different perspectives, and propose solutions to real-world challenges. We aim to empower children to understand the impact of human actions on the environment and to develop a commitment to sustainable practices and social justice. Geography will be integrated with other subject areas and linked to children’s own experiences and the local environment, making learning relevant and meaningful. We will provide opportunities for children to investigate geographical phenomena through fieldwork, research, technology, and collaborative activities, fostering a lifelong love of learning about the world. Children will learn to express their geographical understanding clearly and confidently through various mediums, including maps, diagrams, written reports, and presentations.

By achieving these aims, we strive to equip our children with the geographical knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected world, and to contribute positively to their local and global communities.

Implementation

We believe that geography is a vital subject that fosters curiosity, wonder, and a deep understanding of the world around us. Through engaging and inquiry-based learning experiences, we aim to empower our children to become knowledgeable, responsible, and active global citizens who appreciate the interconnectedness of human and natural systems. Following the principles of the PYP, our geography curriculum will encourage children to explore places, environments, and cultures, developing their understanding of spatial relationships, human-environment interactions, and the diversity of our planet.

Our geography curriculum will be implemented through the framework of the PYP, emphasising inquiry-based learning.

Geography will be taught through meaningful and engaging inquiries that connect to the transdisciplinary themes of the PYP. Children will be encouraged to ask questions, make observations, collect and analyse data, and draw conclusions about the world around them. Teachers will facilitate child-led inquiries, providing resources and guidance to support their exploration and understanding. Opportunities for fieldwork, both within the academy environment and the local community, will be provided to enhance firsthand learning and observation skills.

Our geography curriculum will focus on developing key geographical concepts such as location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, and regions. These concepts will be explored in developmentally appropriate ways across the primary years, building upon prior knowledge and fostering deeper understanding. Children will be encouraged to make connections between different geographical concepts and apply them to various contexts.

We will explicitly teach and develop essential geographical skills, including:

Observing and describing: Using senses and descriptive language to record geographical features.
Mapping and spatial awareness: Interpreting and creating maps, using grid references, understanding scale and direction.
Data collection and analysis: Gathering information from various sources (maps, photographs, graphs, texts), interpreting data, and drawing conclusions.
Research and investigation: Asking geographical questions and finding relevant information.
Communication: Presenting geographical findings in various formats (oral presentations, written reports, diagrams, maps).

Geography will be integrated across the curriculum through meaningful connections with other subject areas, such as social studies, science, mathematics, language, and the arts. This interdisciplinary approach will help children see the relevance of geography in different contexts and deepen their understanding of the world. We are committed to providing adapted learning experiences to meet the diverse needs of all our children. Teachers will use a range of teaching strategies and resources to ensure that all children can access and engage with the geography curriculum. Support will be provided for children with specific learning needs, and opportunities for extension will be offered to challenge and enrich the learning.

Assessment in geography will be ongoing and varied, reflecting the inquiry-based nature of the curriculum. A range of assessment strategies will be used:

Observations of children participation and engagement in activities.
Analysis of children’s work, such as maps, diagrams, reports, and presentations.
Self-assessment and peer assessment to promote reflection and learning.
Formative and summative tasks designed to assess conceptual understanding and the application of geographical skills.

We are committed to providing ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers to enhance their knowledge and skills in teaching geography within the PYP framework. Collaboration and sharing of best practices among teachers will be encouraged.

By implementing this statement, we aim to cultivate in our children a lifelong interest in geography, a critical understanding of our planet, and a commitment to responsible global citizenship.

Impact

Geography in our academy fosters a deep understanding and appreciation of the world around us, empowering children to become informed, responsible, and engaged global citizens. Through purposeful inquiry and transdisciplinary connections, geography has a significant impact on our children’s learning and development.

Children develop a strong sense of place and an understanding of the diverse environments, cultures, and societies that exist locally and globally. They explore the interconnectedness of human and natural systems, recognising how actions in one place can have far-reaching consequences. This directly aligns with the ‘Who We Are’ and ‘How the World Works’ transdisciplinary themes, fostering an understanding of human identity, culture, beliefs, and the natural world and its laws.

Geography provides rich opportunities for children to develop essential inquiry skills such as asking geographical questions, collecting and analysing data (maps, photographs, statistics), interpreting information, forming conclusions, and presenting their findings. They learn to think critically about spatial relationships, patterns, and the impact of human activity on the environment.

By exploring environmental issues and the impact of human actions on the Earth, children develop a sense of responsibility for the planet. They learn about sustainability, conservation, and the importance of making informed choices to protect our natural resources for future generations. This emphasises the rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them.

Through the use of maps, globes, aerial photographs, and other visual resources, children develop their spatial reasoning skills and visual literacy. They learn to interpret and create maps, understand scale and perspective, and visualise geographical information. This supports all transdisciplinary themes by providing a valuable tool for understanding and representing information across various contexts.

Geography naturally connects with other subjects such as history, science, mathematics, arts and language, providing a relevant and engaging context for learning. For example, understanding historical migration patterns, exploring different climates in science, using data to analyse population trends in mathematics, and writing reports about different regions across the world. This reinforces the transdisciplinary nature of the PYP, allowing children to see the interconnectedness of knowledge and apply their learning in meaningful ways across different subject areas.

In conclusion, geography in our PYP academy is not just about learning facts and locations. It is a dynamic and engaging subject that empowers children to become curious, knowledgeable, and responsible global citizens who are equipped with the skills and understanding to navigate and contribute positively to our ever-changing world.

What we do at LAPW...

We provide our children with a rich array of resources to support their geographical investigations, including age-appropriate atlases, maps, and globes that help them explore different continents, countries, and physical features. We also utilise a variety of engaging books, insightful websites, and multimedia resources to bring geographical concepts to life. Furthermore, our children are empowered to become digital geographers through the use of ICT tools for research, data analysis, and creating their own presentations. Crucially, we believe in hands-on learning, providing materials for exciting fieldwork opportunities within our school grounds and the wider community, and leveraging digital mapping tools like Digimaps to delve deeper into geographical data and patterns.

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