At Fairway Primary School, our intent is to deliver a geography curriculum which enables children to be inspired with a curiosity and fascination of the world around them and its peoples.

At Fairway, we encourage children to EXPLORE the physical world in which they live and their place within it, KNOW about diverse places, peoples, resources and both natural and human environments alongside key physical and human processes and to COMMUNICATE their knowledge and understanding confidently and effectively.

During their learning journey at Fairway we want children to develop an understanding of the following key concepts:

• my place in the world
• connectivity
• sustainability

We aim to develop cultural capital in our learners, by expanding their horizons and knowledge of the wider world.  This will prepare them for the next stage of their education and enable them to become citizens who are thirsty for exploring the world and the awe and wonder it offers.

Geography learning at Fairway Primary School is carefully planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on prior learning and provide progression towards end of year and end of key stage expectations.

The organisation of the geography curriculum allows children’s knowledge, understanding and skills to develop over time.  We organise the knowledge into blocks of learning that build over a sustained period of time starting at a local level leading to learning at a national and global level.  This includes a key continent study for each year group.

Geography lessons are planned to:

• build on prior knowledge.
• encourage children to think about their learning, to reflect on previous learning and make connections between new and existing learning.
• give clear learning objectives and success criteria.
• develop the children’s vocabulary, with adults effectively modelling precise and rich language linked to geography.
• give children opportunities to research, question and draw conclusions.
• give opportunities for children to work collaboratively in pairs or groups as well as work independently.
• use effective questioning to check levels of understanding. 

We aim to support all children to reach their full potential by enabling children to overcome barriers to learning. Assessment is used to inform next steps in learning to ensure that children are building on their prior knowledge and making appropriate progress according to their ability and age.

Our Geography curriculum enables children to:

• acquire an understanding of continents, oceans, countries, counties, cities and environmental regions.
• acquire an understanding of the world around them both on a local, national and global scale and their impact upon it.
• be able to identify human and physical characteristics, key topographical features and how these change over time.
• compare geographical similarities and differences through study of contrasting localities and using secondary resources.
• develop fieldwork skills.
• develop their own critical thinking and problem-solving skills to foster a sense of awe and wonder about the world.
• become passionate about how we make a lasting impact on the world around us in order to make our world a better place for all.