Geography

What Is Geography About?

Geography helps children make sense of the world by exploring places, people, environments and the processes that shape our planet. The National Curriculum states that a high-quality geography education should inspire pupils’ curiosity and fascination about the world and its people, equipping them with knowledge about diverse places, cultures and natural systems. Children learn to ask questions about the world around them, interpret maps and data, and think critically about environmental and human issues. Through studying both physical geography, such as climate, rivers and landscapes, and human geography, including settlements, trade and sustainability, pupils develop an understanding of how the Earth works and how people interact with it. This enables them to appreciate the diversity of our world, understand global connections and develop a sense of responsibility for protecting the environment now and in the future. 

 

Our Vision

At Heyes Lane, we see the teaching and learning of Geography as being intrinsically linked to having a love of planet Earth. We strive to be supportive and to make children passionate about the subject as they acquire and develop the geography skills and knowledge, they need to become active and ethical citizens; ready for the challenges that the world is facing. Our geography curriculum has been designed in such a way that all the knowledge and skills which children will acquire as part of the national curriculum, are reinforced and strengthened by the school’s five defining core values. 

As well as developing key skills, we want children to develop enough sticky knowledge to be able to articulate and discuss their own knowledge and opinions about Geography. Geographers at Heyes Lane should be able to debate current topics with kindness, respect and with a solid grounding on the subject area; ready to make a positive difference to the world around them. 

Through the children’s growing knowledge of the world, how it works, and how humans have shaped it, children will be given a greater chance to empathise with people from other climates and regions of Planet Earth. This will help children to understand that the small environmental changes they can make individually or in their community can add up collectively to make a big change. The children will know that they can be a part of their own turning point. 

 

What does Geography look like at Heyes Lane?  

Geography learning at Heyes Lane always begins with a Big Question that sets the direction of the topic and sparks children’s curiosity about the world around them. To bring each unit to life, teachers use a range of engaging and immersive hooks such as fieldwork in the local area, map-based investigations, visits, guest speakers, practical enquiries and the use of digital technology, including interactive maps and VR experiences. Children are given regular opportunities to explore atlases, globes and a range of geographical data, helping them to ask questions, make observations and think like geographers. 

From these exciting starting points, pupils follow a carefully sequenced series of lessons that build their geographical knowledge and skills in small, meaningful steps. Throughout their learning, children revisit and deepen both substantive knowledge (such as place knowledge, location and key physical and human features) and disciplinary knowledge, including map skills, fieldwork techniques and data interpretation. Key concepts such as sustainability, interdependence, human impact and environmental change are revisited and developed progressively across the school, enabling pupils to build on prior learning, make connections between different places and understand how the world is interconnected. 

We value the celebration and sharing of learning across our school community. Children regularly showcase their geography work through our Seesaw platform, through shared learning opportunities across year groups, and through whole-school or phase showcases that allow families and visitors to see their progress and achievements. 

 

How do we assess children and evaluate Geography?

Assessment in Geography is purposeful, supportive and designed to help children know more and remember more. At the end of each unit, pupils complete a child-friendly quiz that enables teachers to check their understanding of key knowledge, concepts and vocabulary. This is supported by ongoing observations, discussions, fieldwork and work in lessons, which help teachers to identify strengths and next steps. 

When assessing and evaluating the overall impact of our Geography curriculum, we look closely at how children are developing across several key areas. These include: 

- An increased breadth and depth of geographical knowledge, including place knowledge, location and understanding of physical and human features (substantive knowledge) 

- A growing understanding of how geography works as a discipline, including enquiry, fieldwork and the interpretation of maps and data (disciplinary knowledge) 

- Developing expertise in geographical skills, such as map reading, data analysis, observation and drawing conclusions (procedural knowledge) 

- Increasing independence as learners, becoming more confident in thinking and working like geographers 

- A stronger ability to make connections, think critically and understand relationships between people, places and environments at a range of scales 

 

Together, these principles help us understand the progress children make over time and the effectiveness of our curriculum design. Further detail about assessment approaches, required teaching hours, unit organisation and resourcing can be found in our Geography Policy. 

 

How Can You Help at Home?

There are many simple and enjoyable ways you can support your child’s geography learning at home and help them develop a curiosity about the world. 

Talking about places is a great starting point. Discuss where you live, places you have visited and locations in the news. Encourage your child to describe what these places are like, how they are similar or different, and why they might be important. Looking at maps together—whether in books or online—can help children develop their understanding of location, direction and scale. 

You can also support your child by exploring the local area. Walks around your neighbourhood, visits to parks or trips further afield provide opportunities to observe physical and human features such as rivers, buildings, transport and land use. Encourage your child to ask questions about what they see and think about how places change over time. 

Weather is another great way to build geographical understanding. Talk about daily weather patterns, seasons and climate, and encourage your child to record observations or compare weather in different parts of the world. 

At home, children can develop their map skills by drawing simple maps of their bedroom, home or local area, using symbols and keys. Using atlases, globes or digital maps can also help them locate countries, continents and oceans, building their global awareness. 

Finally, encourage curiosity about the wider world. Reading books, watching documentaries and discussing environmental issues such as pollution, climate change and sustainability can help children understand their role in caring for the planet. 

Here are some fun and engaging online resources that can support your child’s geography learning at home: 

- National Geographic Kids – A fantastic site full of videos, games and articles about countries, animals, environments and world cultures. Great for sparking curiosity and independent exploration. 

- BBC Bitesize – Offers clear, child-friendly lessons, quizzes and videos linked to the National Curriculum, including topics such as climate, maps and ecosystems. 

- Google Earth – Allows children to explore the world in 3D, visit famous landmarks and even “travel” to different countries from home. 

- Ordnance Survey (MapZone) – Provides fun map-based games and activities to help children practise their mapping and navigation skills. 

- NASA Climate Kids – A great resource for learning about weather, climate change and Earth science through interactive games and videos. 

- World Geography Games – Quizzes and games to help children learn countries, capitals, flags and continents in a fun and engaging way. 

 

Meet the Subject Leader

Meet the subject leader