Geography
Key Information
Geography
Geography Curriculum Statement
We aim to deliver a geography education that inspires curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. Many of our children have had limited experience of travelling beyond their own local area or extended family network. In our multicultural school, we seek to inspire children to become curious about and understand other people’s cultures, beliefs and ways of life through a knowledge based curriculum which seeks to deepen geographical understanding. We want to ensure the subject is a way to appreciate, protect and nurture our planet’s diversity. Key to this is making sure we present multiple stories and to think carefully about how we present, people, countries and culture through our teaching to challenge stereotypes, prejudice and racism. Running central to all geography is the understanding of how physical geography has shaped us.
As children progress through the school they will have a clearer understanding of the differences between human and physical geography and the links between them. Our curriculum ensures children develop a depth and breadth of knowledge, focusing on both new learning and retention. This is achieved through a variety of means including knowledge organisers, vocabulary focusses and regular retrieval quizzes. The lessons are progressive meaning children are continuously building upon their understanding using their prior knowledge and making links to previous learning.
Geography begins in EYFS, with our children exploring hands on learning with Forest School and The Understanding of the World strand of learning in Reception.
In Key Stage 1 curriculum the children begin by familiarising themselves with the local area (allowing them to investigate Hayes) and move on to looking at the wider world in Year 2, allowing them to develop an understanding about the world beyond their own experiences.
In Key Stage 2 we follow The Reach curriculum to ensure the children at Cranford Park explore a variety of geographic topics and begin to think critically about the world outside of Hayes. The Reach scheme is very knowledge based so we also include practical work, fieldwork and trips/visits where applicable so that children can explore the local area and learn about it, how it has changed over time and their place in the context of the UK and wider world. We have a link with the local Cranford Countryside Park to use as an outdoor learning resource as well as an orienteering scheme in school to supplement and extend map reading and team work exercises across all year groups.
Ultimately, we want children to leave Cranford Park knowing what geography is, how it has shaped us and, most importantly, to have enjoyed studying it.
