Geography

Subject Leaders: Miss Kenchington, Mrs O'Hara and Mrs Marchant-White

How do we teach Geography in the Bursledon Federation?

Our Geography curriculum at Bursledon Federation aims to engage and fascinate our children about the world we live in and to encourage pupils to be curious and enthusiastic to discover the world around them both near and far. We want the children to have an awareness of the diversity of landscapes across the world and how these have developed in the way they have. We aim to encourage our children to see how humans have had an impact on the world in a range of ways, both positive and negative and our responsibilities within this. We aim to help children to make sense of, understand and thrive within the unique context of the Bursledon area that they live in, using our proximity to the River Hamble, Southampton, the M27 and our place within the world around us.

Our Geography learning links to our school values of Love, Respect and Aspire. Children will develop a love for Geography and immerse themselves into the world we live in. They will respect the environment and appreciate the natural world and aspire to take the skills and knowledge that they have learnt throughout their time at Bursledon and build upon these after they leave.

At Bursledon, we offer a range of enriching educational visits and fieldwork trips in addition to classroom investigations to enable our children to develop a deep understanding of the Earth’s physical and human processes e.g. Bursledon Windmill, Bursledon Brickworks and the River Hamble.

Our children will develop geographical skills: collecting and analysing data; using maps, globes, aerial photographs and digital mapping to name and identify countries, continents and oceans; and communicating information in a variety of ways. We seek to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

In order to maintain high-quality Geography teaching and learning, we implement a progressive curriculum throughout the whole school. Focusing on skills and knowledge stated in the National Curriculum, Geography is taught twice a year in each year group through an engaging topic. At Bursledon, we are ensuring that Geography is being recognised as carrying the same importance as other core and foundation subjects as we believe it is vital to not only develop children’s perspectives on the world, but to give them real world experiences too. For example, in KS1, children will undertake fieldwork to explore the types of buildings in the local area and use basic maps to direct them. In Lower KS2, this will then progress to children undertaking visits to neighbouring towns and villages to compare the environment to their local area e.g. Bursledon and Beaulieu.

The impact of the Geography curriculum at Bursledon will be equipping our students with the skills and knowledge to ensure that they are ready for further education and for life as an adult in the wider world.

Our desire is to have our children leave at the end of KS2 feeling as though they have thoroughly enjoyed geography lessons, inspiring and encouraging them to take on new life experiences and adventures both now and in the future.

What does a Bursledon Geography expert look like?

A Bursledon Geographer will be a successful life-long learner.
They will leave Bursledon school feeling part of an inclusive community that they understand and respect.
They will have an enquiring mind with a want to investigate and explore the world around them.
Through a rich curriculum and Eco Warrior opportunities they will have a strong understanding about how they can make a positive impact on themselves, others and the planet.
They will have a love for outdoor learning due to a wealth of opportunities such as residentials, trips and field work.
They will be able to read and follow maps using grid references, symbols and create their own maps using a key.
They will be confident to collect and analyse their own data.
They will have a good understanding of the continents, various countries and oceans.
They will be able to compare and contrast different places in the world looking at their physical and human features including the weather patterns.

The Bursledon Geography Curriculum

Geography Curriculum Overview: click here

National Curriculum link for Geography Programme of study: click here

EYFS curriculum link: click here

Geography Medium Term Planning example: click here

Geography Knowledge Organiser example: click here

SEND Non-Negotiables

In the Bursledon Federation we believe all children should have access to our curriculum irrespective of need. Our teachers adapt provision to ensure all children can aim for appropriate objectives by removing certain barriers where needed, so everyone feels included and valued.

Geography SEND Non-Negotiables: click here