Geography at Oak Meadow

At Oak Meadow Primary School, we believe that geography provides children with the skills, knowledge, and understanding to make sense of the world around them. Our curriculum is designed to inspire curiosity about both the physical and human aspects of geography, and to help pupils develop a deep understanding of the places, environments, and processes that shape our world.

Our intent is to provide children with the opportunity to explore the local environment, the UK, and beyond, building a solid foundation of geographical knowledge that encourages a lifelong interest in the subject. Through practical learning experiences, map work, fieldwork studies, and a focus on key geographical themes, we aim to foster a sense of place, an understanding of global issues, and a respect for cultural diversity.

By the end of their primary school journey, we want our pupils to be confident in using geographical tools and terminology, able to discuss both the local and global impacts of human activities and equipped with the critical thinking skills to explore the challenges our planet faces in the future.

Our teaching approach is centred around ensuring that every child, regardless of background or ability, makes meaningful progress in geography. We are committed to providing a curriculum that is accessible, engaging, and appropriately challenging for all learners, helping them develop both knowledge and skills at a pace suited to their individual needs. Express Assessments occur throughout each unit of work to ensure understanding is secure. At the end of each unit an open-ended assessment offers all pupils a chance to showcase their learning and understanding of the topic covered.

Our curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils, from Reception through to Year 6, have a deep understanding of both the physical and human aspects of geography. We provide a range of differentiated resources and activities that support and challenge pupils. This approach ensures that all learners, including those with additional needs, have access to the content in ways that suit their individual learning styles.

Reception start their geographical learning journey with treasure hunts, forest school activities, walks within the local area and discussions about their family and their environment. KS1 embed these skills through carefully chosen progressive units of learning. Work continues within the school grounds and the local area. Pupils will also learn more about contrasting areas and pupils start to widen their knowledge of the world.

In KS2, geographical learning expands to include more complex themes, such as landforms, climates, and global interconnections. Pupils engage in more detailed investigations of local and global environments, applying their geographical knowledge to a variety of real-world contexts. These learning experiences become increasingly rich and challenging as pupils deepen their understanding year by year.

Our teaching is underpinned by a commitment to making learning relevant to pupil’s lives, helping them understand the world in a personal way. We aim to ensure that by the end of their primary education, every child has made significant progress in their geographical understanding, is able to express their knowledge confidently, and is equipped with the skills to continue exploring and questioning the world around them.