Geography at Comberton

We follow the National Curriculum for Geography.

A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. 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 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 geography curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes.
• understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time.
• are competent in the geographical skills needed to:

 collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes
 interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
 communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length. 

Geography Milestones

We are developing our curriculum to ensure that our pupils gain a depth of knowledge; we promote the progression of skills; and teach through an effective sequence of learning.

We wish to develop the following 'Essential Characteristics' in our pupils as geographers:

• An excellent knowledge of where places are and what they are like.

• An excellent understanding of the ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected and how much human and physical environments are interrelated.

• An extensive base of geographical knowledge and vocabulary.

• Fluency in complex, geographical enquiry and the ability to apply questioning skills and use effective analytical and presentational techniques.

• The ability to reach clear conclusions and develop a reasoned argument to explain findings.

• Significant levels of originality, imagination or creativity as shown in interpretations and representations of the subject matter.

• Highly developed and frequently utilised fieldwork and other geographical skills and techniques.

• A passion for and commitment to the subject, and a real sense of curiosity to find out about the world and the people who live there.

• The ability to express well-balanced opinions, rooted in very good knowledge and understanding about current and contemporary issues in society and the environment.