Geography at Ryedene
“We are geographers”
Subject Leader: Mr Pratt
Being the subject lead for Geography I always highlight the importance of encouraging young people to develop a curiosity about the world around them. Geography is an amazing subject because it helps to expand children’s knowledge and understanding of the world, allowing them to explore different places, people, environments and cultures. I want to inspire a love and interest in Geography and help children become curious about the world they live in. Watching children grow in confidence and develop a greater understanding of their place in the world is one of the most rewarding parts of my role. I believe that Geography gives children the opportunity to explore, question and understand the world around them, while developing knowledge and skills that will stay with them throughout their lives.
Vision: The aim here at Ryedene is to ensure a high-quality, engaging and inclusive geography education. We want to inspire our pupils to develop a curiosity and love for Geography, while expanding their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Geography at Ryedene enables children to develop a strong understanding of the location of countries and continents, their capital cities and their place on the map. Children will explore the diverse cultures, people and environments that make up our world. Through exploring places both locally and globally, children will build their geographical knowledge and develop the skills to understand the world around them. We want our pupils to leave Ryedene with a strong sense of curiosity about our planet, a knowledge of where places are located and a genuine interest in the people, cultures and environments that make our world such a diverse and fascinating place. Geography at Ryedene aims to give children the knowledge, confidence and enthusiasm to continue exploring and understanding the world as they move on to secondary school.
What we are teaching in Geography: Geography at Ryedene Primary School is taught in line with the National Curriculum requirements for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Our fully inclusive curriculum aims to create confident, knowledgeable and curious geographers. Pupils develop their understanding of the world, including countries, continents, oceans, capital cities, cultures and geographical regions. Children explore both human and physical geography while developing essential skills through the use of maps, atlases, globes, digital mapping and fieldwork. As pupils progress, they build their geographical knowledge and understanding of different places and environments. Geography at Ryedene encourages curiosity, respect for different cultures and a lifelong interest in the world around them.
How we teach Geography: At Ryedene, Geography is taught through a carefully sequenced and creative curriculum, aligned with the National Curriculum. Teachers use a clearly structured Geography documents pack to support consistent teaching, including knowledge organisers with links to prior learning, skills progression, long-term and medium-term plans. These documents provide a coherent sequence of learning, allowing children to build knowledge and skills over time. Planning includes clear learning outcomes and key questions to ensure important geographical knowledge is revisited, remembered and applied. Through the study of countries, continents, capital cities, cultures, environments and geographical processes, children explore the world around them. Lessons develop essential geographical skills through maps, atlases, globes, fieldwork and enquiry, inspiring curious and confident young geographers.
Impact – what the children have learnt: Children at Ryedene enjoy a broad and engaging Geography curriculum and have the opportunity to develop and showcase a wide range of geographical knowledge and skills. Through inclusive and creative Geography lessons, all children develop their confidence, curiosity and understanding of the world around them. They gain knowledge of countries, continents, capital cities, cultures and environments, while learning to use maps, atlases, globes and fieldwork to explore and understand different places.
By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the key geographical knowledge, skills and processes outlined in the National Curriculum. Evidence of learning is gathered through observations, pupil work, discussions and assessments, allowing teachers to assess and track children’s developing knowledge and geographical skills throughout their journey at Ryedene.
