Global Geography

What We Intend To Do

“The study of geography is about more than just memorizing places on a map. It's about understanding the complexity of our world, appreciating the diversity of cultures that exists across continents. And in the end, it's about using all that knowledge to help bridge divides and bring people together.”

- Barack Obama

At Sherborne C of E Primary School we believe that teaching of geography should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. We want to equip pupils 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. As pupils progress, we wish for their growing knowledge about the world to help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills should provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

The teaching of geography at Sherborne aims to ensure pupils:

  • develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes
  • understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time
  • are competent in the geographical skills needed to: collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes; interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS); communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.

    • How We Teach Geography

    Children will be taught a range of knowledge and skills in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Both key stages will focus on locational knowledge, place knowledge, human and physical geography and geographical skills and fieldwork.

    Key Stage 1 – teaching will include, but is not limited to studying:

  • our school within its locality
  • a small area of the United Kingdom
  • a small area of a contrasting non-European country
  • weather patterns in the United Kingdom
  • hot and cold areas of the world
  • the countries and cities of the United Kingdom
  • the continents and oceans
  • fieldwork practices
  • the use of atlases, maps, compasses, and other geographical tools

    Key Stage 2 - teaching will include, but is not limited to studying:

  • the local area
  • the physical and human characteristics of the UK
  • the key aspects of the physical and human characteristics of the world
  • a region of the United Kingdom
  • a region of a European country
  • a region within North or South America
  • time zones
  • fieldwork practices
  • the use of atlases, maps, aerial photography, GPS, etc.

    • Ordnance survey mapping and compass use

    Additionally, we will use our European links to partnership schools in Spain, Poland, Portugal and Croatia to further develop an understanding of European geography.

    How We Know Children Are Learning Well

    The successful approach to the teaching of geography at Sherborne results in an engaging, high quality geography education which uses our local environment and our european links to to good effect. It ensures progress, retention of knowledge and provides children with the foundations for understanding the world, that they can take with them once they complete their primary education. We provide memorable experiences that encourage children to be curious thinkers and intelligent questioners. Children take pride in their geography work and are able to discuss their learning confidently

    The impact of teaching and learning geography is shown through confident geographers who ask questions, make connections, discuss global issues and take an active interest in the world around them.

    We recognise and assess how successfully the school's aims are met through every day monitoring carried out by class teachers and teaching assistants. This is done through observation, marking and feedback, discussions with the children and information gleaned from online platforms.

    The geography subject leader will monitor standards through lesson observations, pupil conferences and planning audits.

    Three times a year (Autumn Term, Spring Term and Summer Term), teachers make formal judgements of the children's attainment and progress in geography. This is submitted to the subject leader for review and discussed with the the Headteacher. During this meeting, any support needed is identified and action plans are amended.