It is our aim that the Geography curriculum at Ash Green inspires in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that should remain with them for the rest of their lives. Our knowledge rich curriculum reflects Development Matters and the National curriculum and skills-based lessons are structured to reflect the needs of the school community as well as the individual learner.

Our curriculum has been carefully designed to ensure coverage and progression right from when our Just Three pupils join us to when the Year Six pupils leave us. In Early Years, we have formulated skills based Long Term Plans in line with Development Matters which are taught through exciting topics and themes, and in Key Stage 1 and 2, discrete units of work are taught where pupils develop their knowledge of place, location, human and physical features and develop their Geographical and fieldwork skills. Skills are taught progressively through the year groups for all subjects and content is taught as part of a clear, sequential and structured programme of learning, which has been carefully and coherently planned, in order to meet the needs of all pupils, building on what has been taught before and towards clearly defined, agreed end points. We use half termly Knowledge Organisers in Early Years and unit-based Knowledge Organisers in KS1 and KS2 to support the clear development of knowledge, skills and vocabulary throughout our school. These Knowledge Organisers identify key knowledge and skills for each discrete Geography unit and are shared with all stakeholders, including links to the school website on ‘Class Dojo’ for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and ‘Evidence Me’ for Early Years, in order to maximise homeschool learning opportunities, and encourage parents and carers to take an active role in their child’s learning.

As the school serves a community where there is a high percentage of disadvantaged pupils, we provide activities that pupils may not otherwise experience in order to spark curiosity and develop a thirst to learn new things, whilst making links with prior learning. In Early Years we provide pupils with walks and experiences within their local area. We teach them about celebrations around the world and explore customs and foods from different countries to underpin their journey as Geographers and allow them to enjoy the diversity of the world they live in. In KS1 and KS2 pupils continue to have real life experiences to inspire awe and wonder about the world around them. Through exciting topics and units of work, practical experiences and the revisiting of key skills we hope to provide pupils with a secure knowledge and understanding of the world around them and understanding of the impact they can have upon it and the confidence to know they can make positive changes for a better future world.

Implementation: Please refer to the Geography Policy and Scheme of Work for a comprehensive break down of how the Geography Curriculum is implemented at Ash Green from Early Years to Year 6. Impact: Leaders in school, including the Geography Manager regularly measure the impact of our Geography curriculum through Deep Dives and the monitoring of teaching and learning, assessment and on-going self-review. We survey staff, pupils and parents, undertake learning walks, carry out both formal and informal monitoring in order to sample typicality, and also scrutinise samples of work produced by pupils both in school, as well as remotely. We have an established system of Governor review with a Standards and Effectiveness Committee who oversee our curriculum. Governors on this committee receive regular reports, and discussions are held at this committee meeting on successes and upcoming priorities. Based on monitoring and Deep Dives, clear next step priorities for Geography are agreed as part of a Geography action plan. The impact will be that our pupils will be academically prepared for the next phase of their education, are motivated to succeed and achieve, and are equipped with all the personal skills to do this. The Art curriculum will be rooted in excellence and enjoyment which will promote achievement, collaboration, individual and collective pride, confidence and high standards of behaviour for learning.

See our Knowledge Organisers below.

Overview

Policy and Scheme of Work