The Understanding the World sections of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2017) and the national curriculum geography programmes of Study (2013) form the roots of Windmill L.E.A.D Academy’s geography curriculum. From this national documentation, Windmill L.E.A.D Academy’s geography curriculum has been devised, developed and personalised to our school community, having evolved from our values, vision, and mission statement.
Our Geography curriculum is underpinned by the National Curriculum statement for Geography:
A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the framework and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
At Windmill, we appreciate that an enquiring mind and an understanding of all aspects of Geography will enable children to make sense of the ever-changing world in which they live and their role within it. Through their growing curiosity and fascination of the world around them, its people and cultures, children develop an appreciation of the environment, its geographical features and the impact on our society.
We adopt an enquiry-based approach to teaching geography, believing that it enables children to engage actively with their learning about the world around them and allows for deeper geographical thinking. Through creating a ‘need to know’ and by conveying a sense of curiosity, children are able to see the topic as something to be investigated rather than simple to be learnt. Our geography curriculum is based on National Curriculum objectives and employs a range of pedagogical strategies which allows them to achieve expected standards and beyond. All pupils within a year group work on the same objectives together at the same time. However, work is set at an appropriate level, with pupils given support and challenge relative to their own developmental needs. Pupils are supported with devising their own questions and developing the key skills of research, investigation, analysis and problem-solving.
We aim for all Windmill geographers to:
Our geography curriculum is divided into four concepts. These concepts are the ‘big ideas’ in geography and travel through the curriculum, being built upon, progressively, year upon year as our children move through the school.
The concepts are as follows:
End of Year Curriculum Expectations (All, Most and Some)
Teacher’s Concept Progression Maps
Children’s Concept Progression Maps
Skills, Knowledge and Vocabulary Map
If you would like any further information on our geography curriculum, please contact the school and ask to speak to Jen Spring, our geography subject leader.
