ASHURST CE AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL
GEOGRAPHY POLICY
Aims and Objectives- Our Intent
The study of Geography at Ashurst CE Aided Primary School develops children’s abilities to explore, appreciate and understand the world in which we live and how it has evolved. Geography explores the relationship between the Earth and its people through the study of place, space and environment. It contributes to the cultural, social, spiritual and moral life of children as they learn about a range of different cultures and traditions, and learn tolerance and understanding of other people and environments. Through the study of Geography children learn the skills of understanding their locality and how and where people fit into it. Developing good geographical skills is essential; our children live and grow in a world which offers opportunities to travel and work in different cities and countries. To be successful children need to use maps, charts and other geographical data confidently.
Teaching Geography in the 21st century must place great importance on the interaction between the physical and the human environment and include considerations about the future of our planet. Geography at Ashurst gives children opportunities to discuss the effects of humans on their surroundings and to reflect on their own responsibilities and how they can contribute to improving the environment, however small that contribution might be.
It is our aim for the children to:
• develop a passion, curiosity and a fascination with the world around them.
• understand their local geography by providing opportunities to explore their local surroundings and complete fieldwork studies.
• know that geography is the study of places, people, resources, natural and human environments and human and physical processes.
• broaden their understanding of the world from their immediate school geography to their local geography, to the geography of the U.K and finally geography of the wider world.
• develop new geographical skills and insights that build on their past knowledge and to prepare them for future learning.
• use their geographical understanding and apply this in a variety of contexts and situations, e.g. comparing human and physical features of different localities.
• use geographical resources effectively and efficiently, including maps, atlases, globes, aerial photographs and compasses.
Teaching and Learning Approaches – Our Implementation
The Early Years Foundation Stage
In Early Years Geographyis taught as an integral part of the topic work covered during the year. Children learn about the world around them by finding out and exploring, asking questions, showing curiosity about objects, events and people and using their senses to explore the world around them. Children’s understanding of the world is developed through activities such as finding out about different places and habitats and investigating their locality.
we provide opportunities for children to:
· communicate thoughts, ideas and feelings and to build up relationships with adults and each other
· Incorporate communication, language and literacy development in planned activities in each area of learning
· Learn in an environment that reflects their place in the world through signs, notices and books
· Develop spoken language through conversations between children and adults, both one-to- one and in small groups, with particular awareness of, and sensitivity to, the needs of children for whom English is an additional language, using their home language when appropriate
Geography Planning
The school has a long term Geography plan which includes the main objectives of the curriculum that children will study in each topic in each Key Stage. The objectives are progressive and linked directly to the National Curriculum Framework. From September 2025, the school is using the Kapow geography scheme to support class teacher’s planning.
During Key Stage 1, children investigate their local area and a contrasting area in the United Kingdom or abroad, finding out about the environment in both areas and the people who live there. They also begin to learn about the wider world. Children carry out geographical enquiry within the school and the school’s environment. In doing this, they ask geographical questions about people, places and environments, and use geographical skills and resources, such as maps and photographs.
During Key Stage 2, children investigate a variety of people, places and environments in the United Kingdom and abroad, and start to make links between different places in the world. They find out how people affect the environment and how they are affected by it. Children develop their geographical enquiry from KS1 and study a wider environment. In doing this, they ask geographical questions, and use geographical skills and resources, such as maps, atlases, aerial photographs and ICT. Children practice geographical enquiry skills, including asking geographical questions, collecting and recording information and identifying different views. They develop their use of geographical vocabulary and the appropriate practical skills associated with Geography, including fieldwork techniques and using maps, plans and atlases. Pupils use secondary sources of information with accuracy, including aerial photographs, satellite images, etc.
Throughout their Geography journey at Ashurst children take part in roleplay and discussions, and they present reports to the rest of the class. Children engage in a variety of detective or problem-solving activities. Wherever possible, children take part in ‘real’ geographical activities, e.g. research of a local environmental problem, visiting relevant sites and carrying out fieldwork.
SEN Provision
There are children of differing ability at Ashurst. We recognise this fact and provide suitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child.
Children identified as needing extra support in English will be given appropriate help to access the geography curriculum in the classroom. Planning in Geography takes into account the targets set for individual children in their Individual Support Plans (ISPs). Their learning will be supported and incorporate specific approaches to enable them to learn, make progress and be successful. Children will be provided with challenges matched to their needs through a range of teaching strategies including:
• using texts that children can read and understand
• using visual and written materials in different fonts and colours
• using different coloured overlays
• using ICT, other technological aids and taped materials
• using alternative communication such as signs and symbols
Equal Opportunities
Ashurst CE Aided Primary School, has universal ambitions for every child, whatever their background or circumstances. Children learn and thrive when they are healthy, safe and engaged. In order to engage all children cultural diversity, home languages, gender and religious beliefs are all celebrated. Our curriculum includes a wide range of texts and other resources which represent the diversity and backgrounds of all our children.
Assessment:
All children are tracked using the in-school tracking system. After each unit of work, class teachers assess children based on their geographical skills, knowledge and understanding linked to the objectives in the National Curriculum.
Outcomes – Our Impact
At Ashurst we strive to enable our children to be fully literate and articulate; children who are prepared for their secondary education and later life. Through engaging lessons, we aim to foster a love of Geography and for children to develop a geographical awareness and understanding of their place in the world. Children are encouraged to consider the moral dilemmas posed by introducing changes to the environment (for example, building a motorway) and the effects this can have on the surrounding area.They consider the views of others when discussing localities, settlements and the environmentand work on collaborative fieldwork projects utilising the different strengths and interests within their group. Ashurst children are encouraged to have a growth mind-set and to develop the skills of perseverance and resilience. Through the study of Geography, children are given a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.
All children deserve the opportunity to experience happy, fulfilled and successful lives. At Ashurst CE Aided Primary we acknowledge that mental wellbeing is a normal part of daily life, in the same way as physical health.
At Ashurst CE Aided Primary we nurture our bodies, minds, each other and our environment. By providing opportunities for learning outdoors, we aim to connect children and staff with the natural environment. We embrace the benefits this brings for mental health and physical and emotional wellbeing.
We promote pupils’ self-control and ability to self-regulate, and strategies for doing so. This will enable them to become confident in their ability to achieve well and persevere even when they encounter setbacks or when their goals are distant, and to respond calmly and rationally to setbacks and challenges. This integrated, whole-school approach to the teaching and promotion of health and wellbeing has a potential positive impact on behaviour and attainment.
Pupils will also be taught about the benefits of hobbies, interests and participation in their own communities. We encourage children to recognise that they are social beings and that spending time with others, taking opportunities to consider the needs of others and practising service to others, including in organised and structured activities and groups, are beneficial for health and wellbeing.
Children should be inspired to follow their dreams when they leave school, whether that be to secure a job, begin vocational training or go on to further education.
We have a shared responsibility to prepare our children to achieve mental, physical and economic wellbeing in a local, national and global context.
Our aim in Geography is to increase pupils’ wellbeing by opening their eyes to both the human and geophysical worlds. We build student’s threshold geographical concepts of place, space, scale, patterns and processes, interactions and interdependence, stakeholder perspectives and sustainability. We aim to inspire students to understand that they play an active part in today’s ever-changing world and are the decision-makers of the future.
Cultural Capital:
At Ashurst we aim to support every child to gain the confidence and the ability to understand and contribute to a varied cultural awareness. We believe that taking children’s learning experiences beyond what they already know is a fundamental part of becoming an educated citizen in society.
Geography contributes to this through
• engaging children in a ‘lifelong conversation about the earth as the home of human kind’ (A Different View, p.5)
• providing rich opportunities for personal development, through its teaching of world knowledge, cultural diversity and understanding others’ values through listening to their views and beliefs
• enabling children to understand how people’s decisions affect the environment, so that they make informed choices in the future.
• prompting children to ask questions and seek explanations about how the world works and to think about alternative futures
• providing opportunities for children to learn about the beauty and diversity of their world and of places or physical features that they might wish to visit in the future, for example Stonehenge or the Amazon Rainforest.
• Visits and visitors to inspire and encourage pupils.
• helping children identify good role models both locally and internationally who have an impact/ low impact on the environment.
Monitoring and Evaluation
This policy will be reviewed by the Geography subject leader, in consultation with the staff, as and when elements of Geography are identified or prioritised within the School Development Plan.
Roles and Responsibilities
Subject Leaders - To have an impact on raising standards of attainment for Geography across the whole school.
· Adapt and use the Programme of Study for Geography across the whole school to meet the needs of our children.
· To monitor the whole schools and individual needs.
· To be able to assess individual professional development opportunities and needs.
· To monitor and maintain high quality resources.
· To maintain an overview of current trends and developments within the subject.
· To ensure, together with the Head Teacher an effective programme of moderation and assessments.
· To ensure a regular and effective programme of analysis of short-term planning is in place.
Health and Safety
Visits and fieldwork are an essential part of the Geography Curriculum and help to develop high quality discussions and reflection alongside geographical enquiry and skills. Children learn best when the learning environment is ordered and they feel safe, so every visit is well organised and provides a stimulating and valuable experience. The children prepare for their visits and, on their return, use their experiences to good effect in the classroom.
This policy was last reviewed in: September 2025
This policy is to be reviewed in : September 2026