Geography

Vision

At Hillel, our geography teaching inspires children to develop a natural interest and fascination with the world. Geography teaching allows children to think about their own place in the world, their values and their rights and responsibilities to other people and the environment. We want children to be curious and question the natural and human world whilst developing their cultural awareness and geographical knowledge. Through a varied and effective geography curriculum, we aim to take our children on a journey around the world, visiting places of interest, significance and relevance. This strengthens children’s knowledge about the world and will help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. We equip children with the necessary knowledge, vocabulary, fieldwork and map skills both inside and outside the classroom from EYFS through to the end of KS2.

Our Eco-School programme gives children the opportunity to become global citizens and provides them with tools to solve problems of sustainability and the future of our planet. Our vision is to instil core geographical skills whilst inspiring children to have a passionate and positive attitude to the world we live in.

How we teach geography

Geography is taught through a knowledge-rich, concept-led approach. This enables pupils to build secure knowledge of places, environments and geographical processes while developing the skills and vocabulary needed to think and act like geographers.
Teaching focuses on key geographical concepts including locational knowledge, place knowledge, human and physical features, climate and land use.
Pupils develop key geographical skills such as map reading, navigation and fieldwork to help them understand and investigate the world around them.
Geography is taught through three units across the year, each consisting of eight lessons. These units are taught in blocks with two geography lessons per week during the unit.
Topics are organised in carefully sequenced units that cover the key geographical concepts: locational knowledge, place knowledge, human and physical features, climate, land use, navigation, fieldwork and environmental awareness.
The curriculum ensures pupils revisit key concepts and skills regularly which allows pupils to deepen their knowledge as they progress through the school.
Geography lessons follow a clear structure which includes retrieval of prior knowledge, explicit teaching of key concepts, hinge questions to check understanding and opportunities for pupils to apply and consolidate their learning.
In geography, children explore a wide range of places, cultures and perspectives. They learn about the world’s diversity and develop respect for different communities and environments.

How we ensure progress in geography for all pupils

Key geographical concepts are revisited across year groups so pupils build strong schema that new learning connects to and builds upon.
A pre-unit quiz takes place before every unit to identify prior knowledge so teaching can
build on what pupils already know and any misconceptions can be thoroughly addressed.
Ongoing assessment, including strategies such as targeted questioning and hinge questions, ensures teachers know what pupils have understood so gaps in knowledge can be quickly identified and addressed.
Map-based locational knowledge activities take place three times a year. Pupils label key locations and global reference points on a world map appropriate to their year group. This includes countries, continents, the Equator, the Tropic lines, the Poles etc strengthening their understanding of global location.
All pupils are fully engaged in each lesson through carefully designed tasks that encourage thinking, problem-solving and discussion. These activities provide sufficient practice and challenge so every child develops their understanding and applies geographical knowledge with confidence.