At Hollymount Primary School, we aim to deliver a high-quality geography education that will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of the world around them and their place in it. Based on Kapow’s Geography Curriculum, pupils become explorers – discovering their identity as global citizens in a varied and ever-changing world. Our curriculum has a strong focus on developing both geographical skills and knowledge. Children will become critical thinkers with the ability to ask perceptive questions and explain and analyse evidence. Children will develop fieldwork skills which grow and mature each year. Through focused and clear learning objectives in each lesson, children will have a growing understanding of geographical terms and be able to use the vocabulary confidently. Additionally, children will have a chance to gain a deep interest and knowledge of their unique locality and how it differs from other areas of the world.
Curriculum Overview
History and Geography and taught in alternate every half term block
Progression/Links from Early Years Curriculum into KS1
Early Years have a “Topic led” curriculum which is an approach that works well for the “Development Matters EYFS, Non-Statutory Curriculum Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage.” This includes the 7 Key Features of Effective Practice, The Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning and the 7 learning areas for the EYFS. Below is an example of the topics taught in Reception and also links to how Reception’s teaching and learning, through lessons and continuous provision, ensures that knowledge and skills taught, progress well into Year 1.
Reception Links to Year 1 for Geography
Skills and knowledge taught in Reception
Where this links to the Year 1 curriculum
Understanding the World
ELG:
Know that there are different countries in the world and talk about the differences they have experienced or seen in photos
Understand that some places are special to members of their community.
Learning (understanding the world through their own lives and families)
My Culture and Traditions; This is me!-My culture and traditions: there are different countries around the world which is learned through different celebrations
My Culture and Traditions- Parent’s visit and discuss where they come from
Traditional tales- first introduction of simple maps from Traditional tales. This includes locational vocabulary like (under, above, next to).
Locational Knowledge
NC: name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans; name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas
Summer- What is it like to live in Shanghai?
Name and locate world’s seven continents and five oceans
Understanding the World
ELG:
Know that there are different countries in the world and talk about the differences they have experienced or seen in photos
Learning (understanding where we live and those features in our community)
999 Emergency- what makes a community safe?
Place Knowledge
NC: understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the United Kingdom, and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country
Autumn- What is it like here?
Exploring school grounds and features
Knowing what country they live in
Name of the village/town/city I live in.
Understanding the World
ELG:
Explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants.
Understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing states of matter
Learning
Our living planet- seasons and physical features of our planet
999 Emergency-what are human features that community helpers work in.
Human and Physical Geography
NC: identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles
Spring- What is it like to live here?
Understanding the World
ELG:
Describe their immediate environment using knowledge from observation, discussion, stories, non-fiction texts and maps.
Draw information from a simple map.
Learning (understanding where we live and those features in our community)
999 Emergency-what are human features that community helpers work in.
Designing an obstacle course and making simple maps.
Geographical Skills and Fieldwork
NC: key physical features, including: beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather; key human features, including: city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour and shop
Curriculum Map - Units of work and intended learning
Hollymount Primary School & Nursery
