‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.’ Genesis 1:1
Our Vision
At St Joseph’s we believe Geography should inspire pupils’ curiosity and equip them to empathetically ask perceptive questions, think critically, draw comparisons, and confidently develop perspective and judgement about the world that we live in. We provide an aspirational, high-quality and inclusive Geography education that will enable all pupils, from EYFS to Year 6, to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of their location as well as that of the wider world, which in turn will inspire them through Faith, Hope and Love.
What does Geography look like at St Joseph's?
Our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision which aims to enable all children to ‘be the best they can be’. Our immersive and aspirational curriculum is supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression and Geography will be built on and taught three times a year. This ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children. It is important that the children develop progressive skills of a geographer throughout their time at St Joseph’s and do not just learn a series of facts about the world.
There will be…
- The promotion of an aspirational language rich Geography curriculum, which is essential to the successful acquisition of knowledge and understanding in geography, therefore pupils will also learn key vocabulary that is age appropriate, relevant to their learning and is built upon as they move through EYFS, Key Stage 1 and 2.
- Progressive planning with teaching staff ensuring planning is well sequenced, shows progression and covers the key skills and knowledge required, focusing on knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum and beyond.
- Cross-curricular approaches where appropriate; encouraging pupils to confidently make links, and transfer and apply key skills to other areas of the curriculum and prepare them for life outside the primary classroom.
- A variety of aspirational teaching and learning strategies used and adapted to suit the needs of all learners including those with SEND and EAL.
- Access to a range of up to date resources, in order to support the teaching and learning of Geography.
- Opportunities to experience Geography outside the classroom on aspirational educational visits. Opportunities will be used to explore the local area, as well as the wider community and beyond, encouraging children to apply and develop their knowledge and skills in a practical way.
“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.” ~ President Barack Obama, 2012 National Geographic Bee