Geography Progression of Knowledge and Skills
At Ropery Walk Primary School, we want to inspire our children to become curious about the world around them and think like geographers. In EYFS, our children begin to develop a sense of place through learning about their home, school and local area, which links to the ‘Understanding the World’ area of early learning. In KS1 and KS2, our curriculum aligns with the four strands of the National Curriculum for Geography: Locational Knowledge, Place Knowledge, Human and Physical Geography and Geographical Skills and Fieldwork.
At Ropery Walk, we want our children to:
- Respect the world around them and the places and people who live in it.
- Have a deep interest and knowledge of their locality (Seaham) and how it differs from other areas of the world.
- Develop fieldwork skills across each year group.
- Carry out fieldwork enquiries safely in the school grounds and local area.
- Use critical thinking skills in geography lessons, including asking questions and analysing findings.
- Acquire a growing understanding of geographical concepts, terms and vocabulary.
In Reception, children engage with geography through termly topics, incorporating continuous provision, adult-led activities and local fieldwork. From Years 1 to 6, geography is taught every alternate half-term, following the Kapow Primary scheme. Essential geographical knowledge and skills are revisited with increasing complexity across year groups. Enquiry questions underpin KS1 and KS2 units, enabling children to deepen their understanding by applying their learning to answer these questions. Each unit includes fieldwork, ranging from activities on school grounds to larger-scale visits to investigate physical and human features. Each class has an Eco-Warrior, who is passionate about caring for the environment, and encourages sustainability.
Through our curriculum, we aim to inspire curious geographers, who respect and appreciate the world around them. By helping children to understand the connections between human and physical geography, we hope to encourage a sense of responsibility and empower our children to become active citizens in shaping their future world.