Geography
Topic (History and Geography)
Subject Intent
Here at Skegby Junior Academy we recognise the value of that a high quality Geography and History curriculum can offer to our pupils.
Our Learning Challenge Curriculum ensures that all pupils have a greater involvement in their work. It requires deep thinking and encourages learners to work using a question as a starting point. We provide the right balance between both History and Geography and these are weaved throughout the whole curriculum.
All topics start with a ‘Wow’ factor, to inspire a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people in our pupils, that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
Geography Lessons 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 pupils progress, 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 frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
Our History lessons help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. They inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past and equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.
Through our skills-based curriculum we build up a greater knowledge and therefore enrich the learning experience in all our pupils as well as being able to have opportunities to reflect on their learning and review their work as this is seen as a vital part of our children’s learning.
National Curriculum Aims
The national curriculum for History aims to ensure that all pupils:
Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
They should note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
They should construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. They should understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
The national curriculum for Geography aims to ensure that all pupils:
Pupils should extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America.
This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features.
They should develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge.
Subject Implementation
We use topics to deliver humanities subject skills and understanding. Our topic programme (Focus Challenge Curriculum) is carefully balanced and planned to be age appropriate across the years. Topic plans are produced to show how each is taught, the knowledge and skills covered and links to other parts of the curriculum. History and Geography are our main drivers in a themed cross- curricular approach. So, for example, a history Romans topic could include urn making in art, catapult construction in design and technology and catapult testing and measuring in maths and science. Our topics have a history and geography base so that we teach location and place knowledge, weather and climate skills and knowledge and about significant historical events, people and places in our own locality. Topic time also provides further opportunities to learn about people and cultures. A timetable of trips to support pupils’ learning and to enhance the curriculum is published as part of our long-term planning.
Humanities Programmes of Study: