Geography

At Fonthill Primary Academy, we want children to know their place in the world. We want them to be curious and to ask questions about the world around them. We want them to be immersed in the vocabulary of Geography and to learn Geographical Skills that enable them to have a lifelong passion for learning about the natural world and how humans interact with it, both positively and negatively.

Starting in EYFS with themselves, expanding gradually to their local neighbourhood, then their city, then their country and finally the whole world, we want children to deepen their knowledge of the world around them in each year that they stay at Fonthill. We want them to ask questions, to use resources, to carry out fieldwork and communicate their learning with our wider school community.

We teach Geography through the TILA Curriculum. This is set out in a two-year cycle, which sequences learning in a logical way that allows students to develop their knowledge and skills in small steps, coming back to refresh and deepen learning across a year and then again multiple times as they progress through school.

Geography is taught discreetly, but links are made between subjects where they naturally occur. We aim to teach Geography through the lens of our Golden Threads of Time, Technology and Human Endeavour. This gives the children a structure on which to build their learning and allows them to make strong links between subjects.

Each lesson is planned with a clear structure, which follows the pattern:

§ Review: To start the lesson, we look back at what we have previously learned, giving opportunities to develop speaking, and listening skills. We will then explain to the children what our learning intention is for that lesson, so that learning is clear.

§ Direct Instruction: At this point, the teacher will give direct instruction. This will enable the children to develop their knowledge and will also develop their subject specific skills.

§ Guided Practise: Once the teacher has modelled learning, children are given chance to practise what they have learned. This is through short tasks and longer, more developed outcomes.

§ Review: The lesson closes with a review of learning from this lesson. Here we aim to develop higher order skills and to check what the children have learned so that we can adapt our teaching to ensure that learning is secure.

For more information about our Geography curriculum click here