Intent
At Holy Spirit Catholic Academy we understand curiosity for the world around us begins at an early age. Though the learning of geography we allow our children to understand and explore the ‘what’, the ‘where’ and the ‘how’ of our world; giving them the knowledge they need to understand where, how and why events occur, their impacts on the environment and how they have then influenced people’s lives in the past, the present and the potential future.
Within Early Years children develop their knowledge of geography through the Understanding of the World area of learning. Year 1 to Year 6 are taught geography in subject specific lesson. Our Geography curriculum helps our pupils make sense of the world and learn how events from both their own localities and the wider world can impact them directly and indirectly. Our curriculum is designed to teach and support children to understand, describe and appreciate the world whilst also being able to discuss and debate issues on a local, national and global scale.
Throughout our pupil’s journey in geographical enquiry, pupils will build their:
- Deep knowledge of locations, places and geographical landscapes across the world
- Understanding of the conditions, processes and interactions that explain features, patterns and changes over time and space
- Application of skills in observing, collecting, analysing, evaluating and communicating geographical information
Pupils will learn the location of places and regions across the globe and the key features and characteristics of these places. Through an understanding of aspects of both human and physical geography, pupils will discover how places across the globe are both similar and different and how they are changing. They will identify patterns in human and physical geography and understand the links between places, people and environments.
Pupils will learn that human and physical geography are intertwined through a concept known as environmental geography. Human, physical and environmental geography will be studied at all scales, from localised regions to the wider world. As pupils develop their geographical knowledge and understanding, they will also develop their geographical skills: using maps, atlases and globes as well as using directional language, a compass and understanding grid references and keys.
Geography through our faith
Geography enables our children to experience the beauty, awe and wonder of God’s world.
“You have made the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them.”
Nehemiah 9:6
“God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good.”
Genesis 1:31