Geography

Geography Statement of Intent

Connecting with Learning

At Radcliffe-on-Trent Junior School, our geography curriculum inspires pupils to become curious, knowledgeable and responsible geographers. Through a carefully sequenced curriculum, pupils develop both substantive knowledge – knowing about places, environments, physical and human processes – and disciplinary knowledge – knowing how to think and work like a geographer.

Our curriculum is underpinned by our school values of Be Brave, Be Curious and Be Kind. We want pupils to develop the confidence to ask questions, the curiosity to explore and investigate the world, and the compassion to understand their responsibilities towards people, places and environments.

Geographical learning begins by developing pupils' understanding of the world and the geographical concepts that underpin their learning. In Year 3, pupils explore Egypt and the River Nile, considering why the river has been so important to people, before investigating volcanoes and earthquakes and using evidence to consider whether they would choose to live near a volcano. In Year 4, pupils bring their geographical learning closer to home through the study of Radcliffe-on-Trent, investigating how our local area has changed since 1950, before developing their understanding of rivers, coasts and the water cycle. In Years 5 and 6, pupils extend their geographical thinking to increasingly complex global issues through the study of North America and trade, climate change and sustainability, rainforests and Brazil, and sustainable futures.

This progression enables pupils to move confidently between local, national and global scales, making connections between the places they know and the wider world. It also enables them to understand that geographical processes and human decisions are interconnected and that the choices made in one place can have consequences elsewhere.

Our curriculum is driven by meaningful geographical enquiry questions. Pupils are encouraged to ask why, how and what if? rather than simply recall information. They investigate questions such as:

Why has the River Nile been so important to Egypt?

Why has Radcliffe-on-Trent changed since 1950?

How do rivers shape our world?

How does trade connect North America to the rest of the world?

How can people help create a more sustainable future?

Why are rainforests important to people around the world?

Can the Earth support future generations?

These questions encourage pupils to use their geographical knowledge purposefully and to develop increasingly sophisticated explanations and conclusions.

We explicitly develop the disciplinary skills that enable pupils to think like geographers. Pupils learn to use maps, atlases and globes; interpret symbols, keys and grid references; analyse data; compare places; identify patterns; collect and evaluate evidence; undertake fieldwork; and communicate their findings. Our progression takes pupils from observation and recording in Year 3, through local investigations and surveys in Year 4, data collection and interpretation in Year 5, to evaluation and recommendations in Year 6.

Similarly, our mapping progression develops from using maps, atlases and globes, to interpreting symbols, keys and grid references, before pupils move on to digital and thematic maps and, ultimately, comparative mapping and spatial analysis.

We encourage pupils to Be Curious by asking questions and investigating the world around them. We encourage them to Be Brave by sharing ideas, challenging assumptions, interpreting evidence and developing their own conclusions. We encourage them to Be Kind by considering the impact of geographical decisions on people, communities and the environment.

Sustainability is an increasingly important thread through the curriculum. Pupils develop their understanding of how people interact with environments and how resources are used, before considering increasingly complex issues including climate change, deforestation, conservation and sustainable development. By Year 6, pupils are able to use geographical evidence to consider possible futures and make informed recommendations.

Through this carefully sequenced combination of knowledge, enquiry, mapping, fieldwork and investigation, we aim to develop pupils who understand not only where things are, but why places are the way they are, how they change and what this might mean for the future.

Connecting with Others

Geography enables pupils to understand their place within a local, national and global community. Through studying different countries, cultures, environments and communities, pupils develop an appreciation of the diversity of our world and an understanding of the connections between people and places.

Our curriculum helps pupils recognise that no place exists in isolation. The study of North America and trade, for example, enables pupils to explore how imports, exports and global trade connect communities around the world. The study of climate change, rainforests and sustainable futures enables pupils to consider how decisions made by individuals, communities, businesses and governments can affect people and environments far beyond their immediate surroundings.

Our school values provide a clear framework for this learning.

Be Curious

Pupils develop a genuine interest in the world and are encouraged to ask questions about places, people and environments. They explore different perspectives and recognise that there is always more to discover.

Be Brave

Pupils develop the confidence to investigate complex issues, question information, consider different viewpoints and use evidence to reach their own conclusions. They are encouraged to engage thoughtfully with issues where there may not be one simple answer.

Be Kind

Pupils develop empathy, respect and a sense of responsibility towards others and the environment. They consider issues such as inequality, climate change, trade, deforestation and sustainability and explore how people can work together to create positive change.

As a Green Flag Eco-School, sustainability is an important part of our wider school culture. Our Eco-Committee gives pupils a voice and enables them to participate in decision-making and act to improve their school environment and influence the wider community.

Our geography curriculum therefore supports pupils to understand that being a geographer involves more than studying maps and places. It involves understanding people, listening to different perspectives, asking difficult questions and considering how our actions affect others.

We want our pupils to leave Radcliffe-on-Trent Junior School understanding that they have a role to play in their community and in the wider world.

Connecting with Community

Our local area is a fundamental part of geography at Radcliffe-on-Trent Junior School. Radcliffe-on-Trent is our classroom.

Our Year 4 local area study provides pupils with the opportunity to investigate their own community through the enquiry question:

Why has Radcliffe-on-Trent changed since 1950?

Through historical and current maps, photographs, observations, surveys and fieldwork, pupils investigate settlement development, land use and change. This enables them to apply their geographical skills in an authentic context and develop a deeper understanding of the place in which they live and learn.

Our location close to the River Trent provides further opportunities for meaningful fieldwork. When studying rivers, pupils can investigate river features and processes first hand, developing their ability to observe, record and analyse geographical evidence.

Our approach to outdoor learning is strengthened by our Forest School provision and OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning). Together, these provide pupils with regular opportunities to learn through direct experience and develop a meaningful relationship with their environment.

Forest School enables pupils to explore natural environments through practical, hands-on experiences. Children observe seasonal change, investigate habitats, explore biodiversity, work with natural materials and develop an understanding of the relationships between living things and their environment. These experiences provide authentic opportunities to develop geographical understanding while also building independence, resilience, collaboration and environmental responsibility.

Forest School also provides a natural context for our school values. Pupils Be Brave when trying new experiences and taking managed risks; Be Curious when asking questions and investigating the natural world; and Be Kind when caring for living things, respecting the environment and supporting one another.

Our OPAL approach further strengthens our commitment to outdoor learning. We see our school grounds as an extension of the classroom, providing rich opportunities for exploration, creativity, investigation, movement, problem-solving and discovery.

We are incredibly proud to have achieved the OPAL Platinum Award, recognising our commitment to creating an outstanding culture of outdoor play and learning. This achievement reflects our belief that children benefit from having opportunities to explore, make choices, take managed risks, develop independence and connect with the natural world.

Our OPAL journey also supports our geographical curriculum by helping pupils understand that the spaces around them are valuable. Through play, fieldwork and exploration, pupils learn to observe their environment, consider how spaces are used, appreciate biodiversity and think about how environments can be cared for and improved.

Our school grounds have also developed into an important resource for geographical learning. Following our review of the school grounds, prompted by the national lockdown restrictions, we developed a nature area which has created further opportunities for biodiversity studies, fieldwork and outdoor learning. This pupil-driven project demonstrates how children can identify a need, work collaboratively and contribute to positive change within their community.

Our local environment provides a wealth of opportunities for pupils to develop the practical skills identified within our fieldwork progression. Children move from observation and recording in Year 3, to conducting local investigations and surveys in Year 4, collecting and interpreting data in Year 5 and, by Year 6, using evidence to evaluate situations and make recommendations.

We also make use of local and global expertise through assemblies, workshops, visits and live video calls. These experiences allow pupils to connect their classroom learning with real people, careers and geographical issues beyond the school gates. They broaden pupils' horizons and demonstrate the many ways in which geographical knowledge and skills can be used in the wider world.

Ultimately, our geography curriculum aims to develop pupils who are knowledgeable, confident, curious and compassionate geographers.

We want pupils to leave Radcliffe-on-Trent Junior School able to:

Know about a wide range of places, environments and geographical processes.
Question the world around them.
Use maps, data and evidence effectively.
Investigate through meaningful fieldwork and enquiry.
Explain how places and environments change.
Connect local experiences with national and global issues.
Evaluate geographical challenges and consider different perspectives.
Recommend ways in which people can respond to geographical issues.
Care about people, places and the planet.

Above all, we want our pupils to understand that geography gives them the knowledge and skills to make sense of the world around them and the confidence to play an active role in shaping its future.