At Orford, we are so lucky to be situated in a locality rich in a variety of geographical elements. We are close to rivers, spits, the coast and have the wonderful landmark of the castle towering above our school! By the end of their time at Orford Primary School, pupils will leave with a strong foundation in geography, an enquiring mindset, and the ability to apply their knowledge and skills to the world around them. Our geography curriculum is designed to inspire a lifelong curiosity about the world and its people, equipping pupils with the knowledge, skills, and understanding, to explore and engage with the complexities of our planet.

Our intent is to:

• Foster Locational Knowledge: Provide every year group with opportunities to deepen their understanding of the world’s diverse locations, places, and environments, building a strong foundation in geographical knowledge.
• Explore Human and Physical Geography: Engage pupils with the broad spectrum of human and physical geographical elements outlined in the national curriculum, enriched through carefully structured knowledge organisers and skills progression.
• Develop Geographical Skills and Fieldwork: Cultivate essential geographical skills by offering hands-on fieldwork experiences where pupils can collect, analyse, and communicate data, fostering a practical and applied understanding of geography.
• Interpret Geographical Information: Enable pupils to confidently interpret and use a range of geographical sources, including maps, globes, diagrams, and digital resources, to deepen their spatial awareness and analytical abilities.
• Communicate Geographical Understanding: Support pupils in effectively communicating geographical information through a variety of methods, including map creation, analysis of information in graphs and tables, and extended writing.
• Encourage Enquiry and Critical Thinking: Promote the asking of geographical questions and the critical evaluation of evidence to develop reasoned judgements. Pupils will learn to empathise with diverse perspectives, assess actions and consequences, and consider sustainable solutions to geographical challenges.

Through these aims, we aspire to nurture informed, thoughtful, and active global citizens who can make meaningful contributions to their communities and the wider world.

IMPLEMENTATION

The geography curriculum at Orford is designed to ensure a clear progression of knowledge, skills, and vocabulary within our mixed-age classes. By using Knowledge Organisers, it is clearly set out the knowledge and vocabulary the children are expected to acquire by the end of each unit. These organisers also identify the prior knowledge needed from previously taught units, ensuring continuity and reinforcement of learning. Skills are systematically developed using a progression document, which allows for careful adaptation to meet the needs of different year groups within mixed-age classes.

• A typical geography lesson strikes a balance between knowledge, vocabulary, and skills, with learning objectives designed to focus on the skills being developed rather than merely the task being completed. Lessons incorporate a variety of individual and group activities, encouraging children to engage with the content meaningfully. Through these activities, pupils are inspired to foster a natural curiosity for geographical enquiry, enabling them to make connections and analyse key geographical concepts based on their interests and the topics taught. The geographical vocabulary and terminology is built on throughout the sequence of lessons, ensuring children are confident and secure in their understanding of these terms by the end of each unit.
• We ensure that our teaching includes both, core knowledge  key vocabulary, facts, locations and place names, processes – as well as a sense of place – using senses, emotional responses, giving opinions and reflecting their values.
• Our geography curriculum is assessed using our skills progression document and formative methods, including pupil questioning, discussions, book work and oracy elements, to monitor progress continuously. Additionally, a summative assessment is recorded on Arbor at the end of each term, providing a comprehensive view of each child’s attainment and progression.
• Whenever possible, fieldwork and educational visits are incorporated into the curriculum to provide hands-on opportunities for pupils to develop their geographical skills and apply their knowledge in real-world contexts. These experiences enhance their understanding and engagement, further embedding the skills and knowledge they acquire in the classroom.