Mountains of Knowledge

In Geography we learn about the world we live in

Our geography curriculum focusses on map work and locational knowledge, providing children with a strong sense of the world around them and their place within this. Beginning in EYFS children learn about our school. Each year this knowledge and understanding is built on, moving from the school to the local area, to the UK, to Europe and, finally, to the wider world. Physical and human geography are widely discussed, as is the impact of human activity on the world. Children learn about the earth’s natural resources and natural geographical phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanoes. Local area fieldwork is used to put much of the geographical learning into context and children look at the geography of the local area each year. Through our geography curriculum we intend to create children who are curious about the world around them; who want to find out where things are, why they are there and how and why they change over time.  

Substantive and Disciplinary Knowledge in Geography

Substantive knowledge is the carefully sequenced, factual knowledge that we learn through our curriculum; our life-long learning and other information that we learn alongside this. Substantive knowledge cannot be learnt in isolation, but requires prior knowledge that enables us to make sense of what we have learnt. We learn this through the sequencing of our lessons. Prior knowledge must be revisited and misconceptions actively diagnosed.

Disciplinary knowledge is the way in which we learn. In geography we learn through our fieldwork, through critiquing resources or through asking geographical questions.

Progression in Geography

Progression is carefully planned into our Geography curriculum. We evidence this in a number of ways including the following: 

• Geography skills progression (Location Knowledge, Human and Physical Geography, Place Knowledge (Location Comparison), Geographical Skills and Fieldwork
• Vocabulary progression

What our pupils say about Geography at Oakhill

"I like finding out about different countries and using the maps."

"Learning about the local area and how it has changed is my favourite part."

"Fieldwork is fun because we learn outside!"