Exploring Our World, Understanding Our Place Within It

At Winford Church of England Primary School, we want children to develop a lifelong curiosity and fascination about the world and its people.

Through our Geography curriculum, children learn about diverse places, communities and environments, developing an understanding of the physical and human processes that shape our planet.

We follow the Lighthouse Schools Partnership (LSP) Geography Curriculum, which provides a carefully sequenced approach to developing geographical knowledge, understanding and skills from Reception to Year 6.

Our Christian vision, Together we Flourish, and our values of Aspire, Belong and Care encourage children to explore the world with curiosity, appreciate different communities and develop a sense of responsibility for the environment.

Our Geography Curriculum

Our curriculum is organised around three important geographical concepts. These are revisited throughout children's time at Winford, helping them build increasingly detailed knowledge and make connections between different aspects of geography.

1. Settlements and Land Use

Understanding where people live and how they use the world around them.

Children explore different communities, settlements and environments, considering why people live in particular places and how these places change over time.

They investigate their local area and compare life in different parts of the world.

Their learning includes:

• Our school, village and surrounding area.

• Countries and geographical features of the United Kingdom.

• Different types of settlements, including villages, towns and cities.

• Comparing life in Jamaica and Northern Italy with life in the UK.

• Understanding the challenges faced by people living in informal settlements in Rio de Janeiro.

2. Physical Processes

Understanding how our planet works and changes.

Children investigate the natural processes that shape the Earth's landscapes and environments.

They develop an understanding of how these processes affect people and how communities respond to natural events.

Their learning includes:

• Mountains and volcanoes.

• The water cycle and the importance of freshwater.

• Rivers and flooding.

• Earthquakes and their impact on communities.

3. Environment and Sustainability

Understanding our environment and how we can care for it.

Children explore different climates, environments and natural resources, developing an understanding of how human activity affects the world.

They consider environmental challenges and the choices people make about using and protecting natural resources.

Their learning includes:

• Hot and cold climates.

• The Amazon rainforest.

• Renewable and non-renewable energy.

• Oceans and coral reef environments.

• Desert biomes.

• Global trade, food production and sustainability.

These three concepts provide a clear structure for learning, helping children understand how places, people and environments are connected.

Geography in Reception

In Reception, children begin to develop geographical knowledge through the Early Years Foundation Stage area of Understanding the World.

They explore their immediate surroundings, learn about people and places in their community and begin to understand that life can be different in other parts of the world.

Children explore questions such as:

• Who are the people in the community who help us?

• What is it like in Kenya?

• What is it like to live in the countryside or in a town or city?

Through stories, maps, observation and practical experiences, children develop the vocabulary and curiosity that provide the foundations for future geographical learning.

Geography in Key Stage 1

In Years 1 and 2, children develop their knowledge of familiar places before extending their understanding to other countries and environments.

Year 1 – Exploring Our Local Area and the UK

Children investigate:

• Where do we go to school?

• What is located near our school?

• How are countries in the UK different?

They learn to recognise human and physical features, use photographs and simple maps, explore the local area and develop their knowledge of the United Kingdom.

Year 2 – Exploring Different Climates and Places

Children investigate:

• What is it like at the North and South Poles?

• Where are the hot climates in the world and what are they like?

• How is life different in Jamaica?

They learn about contrasting climates, locate places around the world and compare geographical features and ways of life.

Geography in Key Stage 2

As children progress through Key Stage 2, they develop a deeper understanding of geographical processes, different environments and the relationship between people and places.

Year 3 – Settlements, Volcanoes and Europe

Children investigate:

• How are settlements established and how do they grow?

• Why do people choose to live near volcanoes?

• How is life different in Northern Italy?

They explore settlement patterns, the formation and impact of volcanoes, and geographical similarities and differences between the South West of England and Northern Italy.

Year 4 – Water, Rivers and Rainforests

Children investigate:

• Why is water so important?

• What are rivers and how do they impact the lives of people?

• Why is the Amazon rainforest important to us?

They learn about the water cycle, the formation and features of rivers, flooding and the importance of protecting tropical rainforests.

Year 5 – Communities, Earthquakes and Energy

Children investigate:

• What challenges do people face living in informal settlements in Rio de Janeiro?

• How do earthquakes change the world?

• Where does our energy come from?

They explore the challenges of informal settlements, the causes and impacts of earthquakes, and the advantages and disadvantages of different energy sources.

Year 6 – Oceans, Deserts and Global Trade

Children investigate:

• Why are oceans important?

• What is it like to live in the Mojave Desert?

• How do we get our food and commodities in the UK?

They explore marine environments and the impact of pollution, investigate desert biomes and consider the environmental and ethical implications of global trade.

Learning Through Geographical Enquiry

Asking Questions, Investigating and Explaining

Every geography unit is organised around an enquiry question.

Children build the knowledge and understanding needed to answer this question through a carefully planned sequence of lessons.

Rather than simply learning collections of facts about different places, children explore geographical relationships, causes and consequences.

At the end of each unit, they demonstrate their understanding by answering the enquiry question through a discussion, presentation, debate or written outcome.

This approach helps children develop the confidence to explain their geographical thinking using accurate vocabulary and evidence.

Developing Geographical Skills

Throughout their time at Winford, children develop the practical skills used by geographers to investigate and understand the world.

These include:

• Map skills – Using maps, atlases, globes, aerial photographs and digital mapping.

• Locational knowledge – Identifying countries, regions, geographical features and important locations.

• Fieldwork – Observing, measuring and recording features of the local environment.

• Geographical enquiry – Asking questions, investigating evidence and drawing conclusions.

• Data handling – Collecting, interpreting and presenting geographical information.

• Communication – Explaining geographical processes and sharing findings through maps, diagrams, graphs, presentations and writing.

Skills develop progressively. Younger children begin with simple maps, observations and directions, while older children use more detailed maps, grid references, geographical data and increasingly sophisticated enquiry techniques.

Fieldwork and Our Local Environment

Our location in the village of Winford provides valuable opportunities for children to develop their geographical understanding through first-hand experiences.

Children begin by exploring the school grounds and surrounding area, identifying geographical features and learning how to represent places using simple maps.

As they progress, they develop more advanced fieldwork skills, including observing, measuring, recording and interpreting information.

Fieldwork helps children connect classroom learning with the real world and understand how geographical processes affect the places and communities around them.

Helping Children Know More and Remember More

Our Geography curriculum is carefully sequenced so that children build on previous learning and develop increasingly secure knowledge over time.

Lessons include regular opportunities to revisit important knowledge from earlier lessons and units.

Children use knowledge organisers to support their understanding of key vocabulary, concepts and information.

Teachers use questioning, discussion, retrieval activities and assessment to check understanding, identify misconceptions and provide additional support where needed.

We want children not only to learn new geographical knowledge but also to remember it, connect it to what they already know and apply it confidently.

Supporting Every Learner

We believe that every child should be able to access and succeed in Geography.

Teachers adapt learning to meet individual needs, using strategies such as visual resources, vocabulary support, carefully structured activities and additional scaffolding.

Children are supported to develop secure knowledge and geographical skills, while those ready for greater challenge are encouraged to explore relationships, explain processes and evaluate evidence in greater depth.

Our aim is for every child to develop confidence and experience success as a geographer.

How Parents Can Support Geography at Home

There are many simple ways to encourage children's geographical curiosity beyond school.

• Explore your local area – Go for walks and talk about the buildings, landscapes and features you notice.

• Use maps together – Look at maps when planning journeys or visiting new places.

• Talk about different countries – Explore where places are located and how their environments and communities differ.

• Notice the weather – Discuss seasonal changes, weather patterns and how these affect everyday life.

• Explore environmental issues – Talk about recycling, energy, protecting habitats and caring for our planet.

• Encourage questions – Help children investigate why places are different and how the world is changing.

Curriculum Information

Our Geography curriculum follows the Lighthouse Schools Partnership Geography Curriculum, which is aligned with the National Curriculum for England.

The curriculum provides a clear progression of geographical knowledge and skills from Reception through to Year 6.

Further information about what children learn can be found in our year group curriculum overviews.

View Year Group Curriculum Overviews

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Together we Flourish

Aspire • Belong • Care

Exploring our world, understanding our place and caring for our planet.