Geography

Geography Curriculum Statement

‘Without Geography, you’re nowhere.’ Jimmy Buffet

Intent

At St Mary’s, our Geography curriculum is rooted in our Catholic ethos, inspiring pupils to explore, appreciate and care for God’s creation. We aim to develop children’s curiosity about the world around them, beginning with their immediate locality of Chiswick and West London, and expanding their understanding to the UK and the wider world.

Geography at St Mary’s nurtures pupils to think like geographers — to observe, question, measure, record and interpret the world in which they live. We want our children to develop a secure understanding of how places and people are interconnected and to recognise their responsibility as stewards of the Earth.

Our curriculum is designed to:

• Reflect the ethos, vision and values of our Catholic school, especially respect, responsibility and compassion for creation.
• Respond to the local context of our community by exploring both the urban and natural geography of Chiswick and the River Thames.
• Ensure that pupils build secure knowledge and skills aligned with the National Curriculum.
• Encourage curiosity, independence and a sense of wonder about the diversity of our planet.

Through Geography at St Mary’s, pupils develop:

• Strong geographical knowledge and skills, underpinned by critical thinking.
• The confidence to ask questions, gather and analyse evidence, and present conclusions.
• Fieldwork and enquiry skills that are practised regularly within the school grounds and local area.
• A deep understanding of their own locality and how it compares with other regions of the UK and the wider world.
• A rich geographical vocabulary and the ability to communicate their understanding effectively.

Ultimately, we aim to form compassionate, informed and proactive global citizens who understand their role in protecting the Earth and contributing positively to society.

Implementation

Our Geography curriculum is carefully sequenced around the four strands of the National Curriculum:

1. Locational knowledge
2. Place knowledge
3. Human and physical geography
4. Geographical skills and fieldwork

Skills and knowledge are developed progressively across year groups through a spiral curriculum, ensuring that pupils revisit and deepen their understanding of key concepts over time.

Learning is organised around enquiry questions, encouraging children to think critically and apply their geographical knowledge to real-world contexts. These questions are open-ended and purposeful, supporting pupils to investigate, collect and interpret data, and draw meaningful conclusions.

Fieldwork plays a central role at St Mary’s. Pupils investigate both human and physical features in a variety of settings — from exploring the River Thames and our local parks to conducting investigations within the school grounds. This regular, accessible fieldwork helps children to consolidate key skills, apply methodologies confidently, and develop a strong sense of place within their local community.

Cross-curricular links are woven throughout the curriculum, particularly with science, history, and computing, helping pupils to connect their learning and see geography as relevant to their everyday lives. Lessons include a balance of independent, paired and group activities, using practical, digital and collaborative approaches to engage all learners. Differentiation ensures that every child can succeed and that higher-attaining pupils are challenged to think deeply.

Knowledge organisers and visual resources support the retention of key facts, vocabulary and concepts, while regular retrieval practice and formative assessment help teachers to monitor progress and address misconceptions.

In the EYFS, Geography is taught under the Understanding the World Area of Learning and Development, rather than as a discrete subject. Geography in the EYFS focuses on developing children’s understanding of people and place and learning through their own experiences in order to give this meaning and context. Storytelling, drama and role-play and hands-on learning experiences are widely used to deepen children’s knowledge and understanding of geographical concepts.

Impact

Through our enquiry-based approach, teachers continuously assess pupils’ understanding through observation, discussion, practical tasks and summative activities. Knowledge quizzes and “knowledge catchers” at the beginning and end of each unit allow both teachers and pupils to reflect on progress.

By the time they leave St Mary’s, our pupils will:

• Have a secure knowledge of their local area, the UK, Europe and the wider world.
• Be able to compare and contrast physical and human features across regions and continents.
• Understand key geographical processes, including those shaping landscapes, climate, biomes and natural disasters.
• Recognise how human activity interacts with the physical world, influencing environments and communities.
• Use maps, atlases, globes and digital technologies confidently to interpret and present geographical information.
• Pose and answer their own geographical enquiries with evidence-based reasoning.
• Demonstrate a moral awareness of environmental issues and a commitment to caring for God’s creation.

Our pupils leave St Mary’s as curious, informed and responsible young geographers who are ready to build on their learning at Key Stage 3 and to make a positive difference in the world around them.

Knowledge Organisers