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Al-Furqan Primary School
The Key to Success
Geography
At Al-Furqan Primary, we aim to instill in children a strong understanding of place, and develop this understanding beyond geography lessons. We believe that geography helps to provoke inquiry and provide answers to questions about natural and human aspects of the world. Children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as fostering an emotional connection to places so that they can better understand their place and position in it.
At Al Furqan Primary we follow the Understanding the World programme from the Statutory Framework for EYFS and the National Curriculum for geography as a basis for its content and framework. Knowledge and skills are delivered through key experiences and topics. Children explore simple maps and gain an understanding of where they are in the world. In addition, they learn about seasons and how our environment can be affected by human behaviours.
In Key Stage 1, the children will begin by learning about their local environment and how place and space is used. Children have opportunities for Geography learning inside and outside the classroom. They will be able to identify the countries that make up the United Kingdom and their capital cities, as well as name and locate continents and oceans of the world. Children in Key Stage 1 will also begin to consider what life is like in other parts of the globe. This knowledge will support their understanding of themes covered in Key Stage 2.
Within Key Stage 2, topics have been sequenced in a way that supports children’s development of schema and ideas. Children will continue to develop locational and place knowledge. Pupils will access a range of resources to acquire learning through atlases, maps, digital technology, books, geographical information systems (GIS) and photographs. Google Earth maps and satellite view are often used initially to add immediacy and a real-life context to lessons. We also encourage children to question their own views and thoughts on a topic and to develop an understanding towards other people’s perspectives.
Educational visits are an opportunity for the teachers to plan for fieldwork outside the classroom. Our children have the opportunity to go further afield and share in hands on fieldwork experiences.
We recognise that learning centred around key concepts allows children to deepen their knowledge of different aspects of geography. Our key concepts are:
Geography Key Concepts | |
Place | Place as a concept develops understanding of the physical and human characteristics of places. Understanding a place relates to the opinion and meaning that people attach to a location. We may distinguish the importance of the place as a home, but the sense of place is much greater for those living there because of their attachment and experience of that place. As a concept it examines the uniqueness of a space and questions what is specific about this area. Place scrutinises the diversity, sustainability and intangibles of an area although these are often personal and subjective |
Space | The concept of space in geographical terms refers to the landscape and is a concept key concept that is interdependent on many other concepts. Space addresses the features and values we associate with a location. It will investigation into the patterns, distribution, trends, interconnections, density, proximity and the relative aspects of a particular area. |
Environment | The concept of environment ponders about the natural world and how people effect the world and have the ability to change it. The environment maintains and enhances life. The concept will develop an understanding of the natural world in relation to change, systems, biodiversity, living and non-living elements, interconnections and sustainability. |
Communities and Settlement | The concept also requires us to explore human geography, including: settlements, land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources. It will also examine how people settle and move into and from areas for various reasons. Together these factors can have a significant impact in how land is changes over time and influence environmental change. |
Physical processes | The geographical concept of physical processes looks at natural and man-made. A physical process could be defined as an incident or series of incidents that happen naturally due to the effects and importance of a specific force of nature |
Human processes | The geographical concept of physical processes looks at natural and man-made. Human processes could therefore be defined in terms of how human involvement has affected the world. The concept will develop an understanding of how these events and activities can lead to changes within the places, landscapes and societies of the world. |