Geography

We aim to deliver a high-quality geography education which enables pupils to gain a deep knowledge and understanding of the world. Geography at Northfield Manor will equip the children with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. High quality geography lessons will ensure all children are equipped with a range of geographical skills and can deepen their understanding, providing the framework to explain how and why the Earth’s features are utilised, interconnected and change over time.

Throughout our thematic topic session, children will use primary fieldwork, first-hand experience and secondary sources to find out about a range of places and environments, including their own locality, contrasting areas in the UK and different localities in other counties. Children explore views and opinions about local and global issues including sustainability, climate change, poverty, resource use and recycling, enabling a more diverse knowledge base to be built upon surrounding the varying locations, human and physical features of the Earth. 

 

Why do we teach Geography in the order that we do?

In Key Stage 1, pupils develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.

Moving into Key Stage 2, pupils will extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America and further regions of the Earth. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They will develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge.

The list of geography topics are below. Please see the thematic curriculum page for details of curriculum coverage.

 

Year 1:

  • Born and Bred (Local Area Study)
  • Let’s go on Safari (Wider World Study)
  • Let’s Play (Seasons and Weather)

 

Year 2

  • The Great Fire of London (United Kingdom Focus)
  • Famous Faces (Locational Focus Worldwide)
  • Rural UK (United Kingdom / Europe Comparisons on Rural and Urban Areas)

 

Year 3

  • The Stone Age to Iron Age (Human and Physical Features of Ancient Civilisations)
  • The Egyptians (Human and Physical Features of Ancient Civilisations
  • Rainforests (Climate Zones, Biomes and Lines of Latitude)

 

Year 4

  • The Ancient Greeks (Human and Physical Features of Ancient Civilisations)
  • The Roman Invasion of Britain (Human and Physical Features of Ancient Civilisations)
  • Keen to Be Green (Climate zones and Human Impact on the Environment)

 

Year 5

  • Current Catastrophes (Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Physical Features of the Earth)
  • Saxons and Vikings (Changing Human and Physical Features of Britain)
  • The Islamic Golden Age (Non-European Study of the Middle East)

 

Year 6

  • World War II (Human and Physical Location within Britain, Europe and the World)
  • Brilliant Brum (Local Area Study on Settlements, Trade and Economic Activity)

 

Cross-curricular links are made to science, art, RE, PSHE and the English curriculum to deepen understanding and give children the opportunity to apply geographical knowledge in a range of contexts. Every year group has geography-based thematic units that last for at least a half-term. They also learn about geographical events and deeper vocabulary understanding through our RVI (retrieval, vocabulary, Inference) comprehension reading strategy and STAR (Select, Teach, Activate, Retrieve) vocabulary approach.