Intent

At Coulsdon CofE Primary School, geography inspires children’s curiosity and fascination about the world and their place within it. Geography is central to developing an understanding of places, people, environments and the complex interactions between physical and human processes that shape our planet. Through high-quality geography teaching, pupils deepen their knowledge of landscapes, environments and communities, and develop a growing awareness of how these change over time.

Leaders ensure that pupils experience a rich range of learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom that nurture curiosity, enjoyment and a sense of exploration. Our ambitious and challenging curriculum equips children with the geographical knowledge, skills and vocabulary they need for the next stage of their education. At Coulsdon CofE, we value the development of independent learners who are confident to take risks, learn from mistakes and reflect on misconceptions as part of the learning journey.

Implementation

Curriculum

School leaders have designed a bespoke geography curriculum that meets the needs of our pupils and reflects a strong understanding of our local context. The curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced to ensure breadth, balance and clear progression in geographical knowledge and skills over time. Geography learning is thoughtfully linked across the wider curriculum, particularly with reading and writing, to support pupils in making connections and applying their learning in meaningful contexts.

Each unit of learning begins with a purposeful stimulus or experience designed to engage pupils and activate prior knowledge. This is followed by a structured sequence of learning that develops both substantive knowledge (what pupils know) and disciplinary knowledge (how geographers think and work). Learning is applied through opportunities for pupils to demonstrate understanding, solve problems and respond to geographical questions. At the end of each unit, pupils are given opportunities to reflect on their learning, present outcomes and evaluate their progress, supporting metacognition and deeper understanding.

Leaders support and monitor teachers in planning high-quality learning experiences that enable pupils to revisit and build upon prior learning, ensuring that knowledge is embedded and extended as pupils move through the school.

Planning and Teaching

Each topic integrates several curriculum areas, with a clear geography focus. Teachers carefully consider what children need to learn and how they will achieve the intended outcomes. Teachers use knowledge organisers, medium-term plans and clearly defined learning outcomes to identify and prioritise the key geographical knowledge, vocabulary and skills to be taught in each unit.

Leaders and subject leaders review units across the year to ensure coherence, progression and ambition from Reception through to Year 6. Teachers consider pupils’ prior learning, experiences and individual needs to appropriately challenge and differentiate learning. Provision for pupils with SEND is personalised or adapted where necessary, including strategies recommended by external agencies.

Cross-curricular links are planned to reinforce prior learning and provide opportunities to apply and practise skills in different contexts. Collaborative learning is encouraged to build resilience, deepen understanding and enable pupils to articulate and justify their geographical thinking.

Assessment

Leaders ensure that assessment begins at the start of each topic, enabling teachers to identify prior knowledge and revisit key concepts. Ongoing formative assessment takes place through observation, questioning, discussion, marking and feedback on pupils’ work. This continuous assessment informs planning and ensures teaching is responsive to pupils’ needs, enabling misconceptions to be addressed and learning to be deepened.

Impact

By the time pupils leave Coulsdon CofE Primary School, they will:

• Develop secure locational and contextual knowledge of globally significant places, including their physical and human characteristics.

• Understand key physical and human geographical processes and how these interact to shape environments and bring about change over time.

• Collect, analyse and communicate data through a range of fieldwork experiences that deepen understanding of geographical processes.

• Interpret a wide range of geographical sources, including maps, atlases, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

• Communicate geographical information confidently using maps, data handling skills and extended writing.

Pupils leave school as curious, informed and reflective geographers with a strong sense of place and responsibility for the world around them.

Early Years

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, geography is taught through the area of learning Understanding the World. Children develop an awareness of their environment and the wider world through exploration, play and first-hand experiences.

The learning environment and skilled practitioners foster curiosity and encourage children to ask questions and investigate their surroundings. Wherever possible, children draw on direct experiences to build meaningful connections in their learning. Outdoor learning is highly valued, with regular opportunities for local walks, visits and hands-on exploration that help children to understand the world, their community and their role within it.