Geography
At St. Andrew’s, we believe that geography helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. Our ambitious curriculum encourages children to develop a deep knowledge of the world they live in and understand their place within it.
The geography curriculum at St. Andrew’s is taught around four key areas of learning: geographical skills and field work; human and physical geography; locational knowledge; and place knowledge. These areas are explored through our key concepts: navigation; fieldwork; population; economic activity; tectonic activity; human features; physical features; natural resources; sustainability; and climate and landscape; all of which provide lenses through which to consider different aspects of geography.
As children move through the school, these concepts are revisited to deepen their understanding. Second-order concepts: responsibility; similarity and difference, cause and consequence; continuity and change; significance; enquiry; and written and oral expression; are taught and applied through each unit of geography and build progressively as pupils move through each key stage.
We aim to provide an ambitious curriculum for our children and seek to inspire curiosity and instil a fascination about the world and its people, which will remain with our pupils for the rest of their lives. We promote children’s interests and develop both an understanding and a respect for diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, whilst embedding a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.
The geography curriculum supports our pupils to acquire good basic skills; develop their knowledge of diversity and spirituality; and understand the life-long possibilities the world can offer. As subject knowledge is embedded, pupils develop a confidence in the subject and are motivated to want to learn more about the world around them.
“The study of geography is about more than just memorising 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.”
Barack Obama
