Tower Hill Primary School
Geography Policy
Introduction
At Tower Hill School we encourage our children to have an awareness of the world environment as well as the environment of their locality. Children develop their knowledge and understanding through geographical enquiry and research having opportunities through fieldwork to understand their local environment and its important features. They will develop a sense of place and form opinions about the wider world around them.
Our Main Aims:
- To build upon children’s natural curiosity enabling them to develop their own geographical questioning skills.
- To investigate the human and physical features of their immediate surroundings.
- To become aware of the wider world, both in the United Kingdom and in other countries.
- To understand how communities are interdependent on each other.
- To appreciate the importance of location in human life and understand how activities and places are linked by physical, social and economic relationships.
- To recognise patterns exist in various locations around the world and be able to explain the reasons behind these patterns.
- To investigate the influences of human activity on the world and to understand that we are responsible for our environment.
Teaching and Learning
Planning
- A whole school curriculum map will show how the different elements will be covered.
- Using a whole school approach to planning continuity and progression will be assured across the Foundation Stage, Key Stage I and Key Stage II
- All pupils will experience Geographical based topic in each year group.
- All pupils will have the opportunity to take part in out of school visits/fieldwork to broaden their experiences within their topics.
SEND and Differentiation
Geography based topics provide all children with the opportunity to improve their understanding of the world around them whatever their level of ability. Medium term planning will note any special educational needs that need to be specifically catered for including both ends of the SEND spectrum.
Practice
- A variety of teaching and learning styles will be used including whole class, group and individual activities to encourage children’s enjoyment and participation.
- Topics will be cross curricular e.g. In Y5 under the topic ‘Jurassic Jaunt’ children will study the Jurassic coastline in the UK links to Literacy, Maths, Science, History and ICT.
- KS1 and KS2 will study a Geography based topic each term. Map work will also be incorporated into History based topics during the alternate terms.
- Pupils will have opportunities to use ICT equipment, including recording equipment such as Easi-speaks, CD players, digital and video camera, software and computers.
- Children will be encouraged to ask as well as answer geographical questions.
- There will be opportunities to use maps, statistics, graphs, pictures and aerial photographs appropriate to the age and stage of development of the children.
- Use of maps will be encouraged for personal and national events throughout the year.
- Appropriate differentiation, when required, will enable all our children to access the Geography curriculum.
- Assessment opportunities will be identified in each unit of work in order to track pupil progress.
- Children will be taught Geography by their class teacher, supported, where appropriate, by the Geography Manager.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Staff will annotate and evaluate plans and this will be used to inform future planning. The Geography Manager will collate findings and maintain the subject folder. The Geography Manager will take part in pupil conferencing. Staff will annotate the Geography Progression Framework at the end of each topic and this information will be reviewed and collated by the Geography Manager to inform and ensure progression of skills across the school. The Geography progression Framework will show progress against the four aspects of Geography:
- Locational Knowledge
- Place Knowledge
- Human and physical Geography
- Geographical skills and fieldwork
Assessment and monitoring will be achieved by pupil interviews, work sampling, classroom displays and tracking.
Teachers will report annually to parents about children's development and progress in Geography.
Resources
We are continually reviewing resources in our school to be able to teach all topics. Some resources are centrally stored and others, where appropriate, are classroom based for specific termly/half termly topics. In the library we have a supply of Geography topic books (regularly updated by Hampshire Library service) and children, when appropriate, are encouraged to do independent research. Access to IT for further research is available for all children in the IT suite. Digital camera, video etc are centrally stored for use across the school in all subject areas. The range of resources is outlined in the Geography Manager’s file.
Health and Safety
All visits are conducted in accordance with the Hampshire Education Authority’s guidance for ‘Off site visits’ and appropriate risk assessments are completed before every trip whether local or further afield.
Staff Development
The school will enable all staff to undertake professional development to ensure that Geography is appropriately delivered and co-ordinated.
Review and Evaluation of Policy
The evaluation process will serve the basis for planning programmes of action and targeting time, support and resources.
This policy will be reviewed on a three year basis by the Geography Manager and Headteacher.
