Geography
At Leopold Primary School, we aim to inspire pupils’ curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. Through our geography curriculum, pupils develop a secure understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes, while exploring the diversity of places, cultures and environments, including their local area.
Our curriculum is ambitious for all pupils and rooted in strong values, ensuring every child develops a sense of place, belonging and responsibility for the world around them.
Intent
Our geography curriculum is designed to equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments. We aim to:
- Develop pupils’ locational knowledge and understanding of the world, including continents, countries and key features
- Build knowledge of human and physical geography, including climate, landscapes and settlements
- Foster geographical enquiry skills, enabling pupils to ask questions, interpret data and draw conclusions
- Promote an understanding of environmental issues and sustainability
- Develop an appreciation of the local area and how it compares to other regions of the world
We want pupils to think like geographers: asking perceptive questions, analysing information, and understanding how the world is interconnected. Our curriculum ensures pupils develop an understanding of their local community and environment, enabling them to make meaningful connections between their locality and the wider world.
Implementation
Our geography curriculum is carefully sequenced to build knowledge over time, ensuring pupils revisit and deepen their understanding. Teaching is adapted to meet the needs of all learners and reflects the context of our school community.
Early Years Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception)
In Nursery and Reception, we follow the Early Years Framework. Pupils begin to explore the world around them through play and first-hand experiences. They learn about their immediate environment, similarities and differences between places and begin to understand simple geographical concepts such as location and weather.
Key Stage 1 (Years 1–2)
In Years 1 and 2, we follow the National Curriculum. Pupils develop their understanding of the local area and the wider world. They learn basic map skills, identify continents and oceans and explore weather patterns and seasonal changes. Pupils begin to compare different places and develop geographical vocabulary, including links to their local area.
Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6)
From Year 3 to Year 6, pupils follow the Opening Worlds curriculum for geography. This carefully sequenced, knowledge-rich curriculum enables pupils to build a deep and connected understanding of the world over time. Pupils study a range of regions across the world, developing their understanding of both physical and human geography, including local, national and global contexts.
There is a strong emphasis on:
- Developing secure locational and place knowledge
- Understanding key physical processes such as the water cycle and climate
- Exploring human geography, including settlements, trade and economic activity
- Making connections between places and environments
- Using maps, atlases and digital tools
- Fieldwork and first-hand experiences, particularly within the local area
Teaching is explicit and systematic, with a focus on vocabulary development, enquiry, retrieval practice and building long-term memory.
Impact
Through our geography curriculum, pupils develop a secure understanding of the world and their place within it. They are able to make connections between different locations, understand global issues and think critically about environmental challenges.
Pupils understand how their local area fits within the wider world and can compare and contrast different regions with increasing confidence.
By the end of Year 6, pupils are well-prepared for secondary education and have developed curiosity, respect for diversity and a strong sense of responsibility for the environment.
Supporting All Learners
Our geography curriculum is designed to ensure equity for all pupils. Teaching is adapted to remove barriers to learning and support all pupils to succeed.
We use:
- Clear modelling and scaffolding
- Explicit teaching of key vocabulary
- Visual resources such as maps, atlases and diagrams
- Adapted tasks and targeted support
- Opportunities for challenge and deeper thinking
This ensures all pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, can access and achieve within geography.
Supporting Learning at Home
Parents and carers can support geography learning by:
- Talking about places they have visited or lived in
- Looking at maps and globes together
- Discussing weather, seasons and environmental changes
- Visiting local places of interest
- Watching documentaries or reading books about different countries and cultures
By working together, we help pupils develop curiosity and a deeper understanding of the world around them.