Geography

Creating Brilliant Geographers

Intent

At Cavendish, we believe that geography helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the physical and human aspects of the world. We believe our high-quality geography will inspire in pupils a lifelong curiosity and fascination about the world. We want our children to develop a love and value for the world we live in. Teaching should equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources, and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding, of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. As pupil’s knowledge grows, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments.  Geographical knowledge, understanding, and skills provide the framework and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected, and change over time. Children are encouraged to develop a firm understanding and knowledge of their local area; as well as where it sits in the wider world. 

We believe that providing children with an understanding of their local environment, the wider world, and its people will help to create 'brilliant citizens' able to make their own way in the world.

Beginning in Early Years, children discuss their familiar world, such as where they live or the natural world. From Key Stage 1, the Geography curriculum at Cavendish is designed outwardly, giving children a firm grasp of key geographical features of their local area. Following this, children in Key Stage 2 will compare their local area to other areas of the United Kingdom, other European countries, and finally countries on other continents.

We seek to inspire in children curiosity and fascination about their local area, the wider world, and its people. We endeavour to promote the children’s interest and understanding of a range of people, places, and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical processes.

Aims linked to Values/Rights

As a Rights Respecting school, we understand that geography is a tool through which we understand who we are individually and collectively as a community, as a nation, and as a human race. It is how we understand what caused the present world to be the way it is. We want pupils to be active in their communities, open to new experiences, and live happy and productive lives and live in a ‘rights respecting’ way.

Our geography curriculum is linked, when relevant, to the golden values of the school. These are:

• Equality
• Positivity
• Courage
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Kindness

Experiences in GEOGRAPHY

At Cavendish, we intend that all children will learn through a geography curriculum that is engaging, exciting, challenging, purposeful, and relevant.  We believe that trips, visitors, and experiences enhance the curriculum, providing opportunities to build appreciation & curiosity in a range of different places. Trips and visits range from forest school in EYFS, local geography walks in year 1 to trips out of school to study the Lake District, Manchester Airport, and Llandudno. These trips and visitors are regularly reviewed to ensure that they are providing the best enhancement possible of the geography curriculum.