Geography

Geography at Lark Hill

Kapow Primary’s Geography scheme of work aims to inspire pupils to become curious and explorative thinkers with a diverse knowledge of the world – in other words, to think like geographers. The intention is for pupils to develop the confidence to question and observe places, measure and record necessary data in a variety of ways and analyse and present their findings.

The scheme aims to build an awareness of how Geography shapes lives at multiple scales and over time. The hope is to encourage pupils to become resourceful, active citizens who will have the skills to contribute to and improve the world around them.

The scheme supports teachers in developing their subject knowledge and skills, enabling the delivery of engaging, well-informed lessons with confidence. The curriculum is designed to be both accessible and ambitious, ensuring all learners’ full participation and potential achievement.

Inclusion and diversity
Kapow Primary’s Geography scheme has been designed to represent a range of cultures and races.

Where appropriate, colonial choices and their impact on geographical issues are explored.
The scheme’s visual representation is inclusive and representative of a variety of people and places, challenging stereotypes or historical ideologies.
Within sensitive units, questions have been included to support children’s lived experiences and backgrounds.
Resources and case studies are carefully considered to encourage the children to think about their role in society and to respect the many ways in which people’s lives have been influenced. 
The scheme supports children in appreciating the complexity of people’s lives, the diversity of societies and the relationships between different groups.

Understanding 'place'
Place signifies more than a geographical location: it encompasses distinctive features, landscape, community and diversity.
Features of a place make it distinct, including both physical and human features.
Landscape and surrounding environment also play a part, whether a cityscape or countryside, near or far.
Communities are often created when people are connected by their shared experiences of a place.
Diversity refers to the fact that no two places are exactly alike. Places are unique, from the way they make people feel to their size, type and location.
Understanding and forming an idea of a ‘place’ means looking at all these different characteristics together.

Understanding 'space'
Space acts as a foundation for ideas including location, distribution, pattern, interaction and distance.
Location refers to where something is, whether that is a mountain or a city.
Distribution is about how things are spread out across a space, while pattern refers to how these distributions repeat or vary.
Interaction examines how different elements (such as information, goods and people) within a space relate to and influence each other.
Distance refers to how far apart things are within that space.
Pupils learn that these concepts can be observed in various physical and human geographical features, such as landforms, urban areas and political systems.
Understanding space involves examining these features and the relationships between them.

Understanding 'scale'
Scale can refer to the size or level of geography, from local to national, international and global.
Pupils make links between geographical issues and processes at these different scales.
Scale also illustrates how different geographical concepts are interconnected at various levels.

Understanding 'interdependence'
Interdependence is a key idea, highlighting how everything (including people, places, environments and processes) is linked together in a variety of ways.
Pupils learn that changes or events in one place can impact another place, even if they are far away.
Interdependence explores these connections and how they shape the world around us.

Understanding 'physical and human processes'
Physical and human processes involve understanding the natural and societal influences that shape the world.
Physical processes include natural phenomena like weather patterns and landform development.
Human processes encompass activities such as urban growth and farming that have a profound impact on surroundings.
Pupils learn that the two types of processes are interlinked and influence each other.

 Environmental impact and sustainable development
Environmental impact and sustainable development explore the relationship between humans and the Earth.
Pupils examine how human activities affect ecosystems and lead to environmental changes, both locally and globally.
They look at the importance of using resources sustainably to balance current needs with those of future generations.
These areas are supported by Kapow Primary’s Eco-schools mapping and Sustainability progression of skills and knowledge documents.

 Cultural awareness and diversity
Cultural awareness and diversity help pupils to understand the world’s rich array of physical and human characteristics.
These concepts encourage exploration and comparison of similarities and differences between various cultures and identities, deepening understanding of the global community.
Cultural awareness and diversity help shed light on critical perspectives such as decolonisation and young people’s geographies.
The concepts foster a more inclusive and diverse understanding of the world and an appreciation of different geographical values and attitudes.