Geography

"To build safe, independent lives for autistic young people through support, understanding and enablement"

Geography at Springfields 

At Springfields Academy, we endeavour to deliver a geography curriculum which is engaging, meaningful and immersive for our children. We strive to achieve this through: inspiring the pupils about our World and its people, developing pupils’ knowledge of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, developing an understanding of maps and a range of investigative or problem-solving skills - both inside and outside of the classroom. Our children will learn about their own locality, whilst becoming aware of and deepening their knowledge and understanding of the world beyond their own environment. They will learn about the human and physical features of the world and consider the impact that we have as humans on our planet. 

Throughout this journey, our children will have developed a wide knowledge- base through exploring, appreciating and understanding the world in which we live in and how it has evolved, as well as developing a breadth of geographical skills. 

Implementation: 

From Explorer 1 to 4, pupils will develop their geography knowledge via an enquiry led approach. Our curriculum is adapted, and makes reference to, the National Curriculum. It is designed to ensure that coverage and progression is built upon as our children move through the school. In addition to this, the curriculum is meaningful and relevant to our children, and it provides a framework for them to be curious, ask questions and find solutions.  

Each enquiry starts with an engaging question, children are then immersed in the learning, practising the skills and knowledge that they need to know and remember, before ending with a final challenge and answering the initial question.  

Following a two-year cycle, pupils will respond to twelve different enquiry questions. These questions link to whole-school enquiry themes. We want our children to be engaged in their learning and we aim to always make the learning fun, relevant and meaningful. 

Each enquiry theme has key driver subjects, with enquiry questions created to link to these. Enquiries follow the National Curriculum as a guideline for objectives, as well as providing the necessary foundational knowledge required for pupils planned trajectory when they reach the pathfinder stage of their Springfield’s journey – completing the qualification that is right for them.   

Geography objectives will be covered in the following themes, with three different questions to answer as pupils progress through the Explorer stages: 

Through the enquiry led approach, geography learning will be fully immersive as well as cross-curricular. Pupils will link ideas across all foundation subjects, aiding knowledge retention and securing a better understanding of new concepts.  

Themes: 

The themes drive the enquiry and allow pupils consistency of learning as they progress through the school. Geography coverage within the themes will be as follows: 

T3 CA  - The World in which I live   

This enquiry encompasses a substantial amount of the geography learning.  

In Enquiry One, pupils will learn about Physical geography, which will include physical features such as beaches, cliffs, coasts, forests, hills, mountains, the sea, oceans, rivers, soil, valleys, and vegetation. Pupils will also learn about capital cities of the UK, as well as locating different oceans and the equator on a world map. Our local focus for this enquiry will be the White Horse hills.  

By the end of Enquiry Two, pupils should be able to locate major cities on a world map, as well as naming the 7 continents and oceans. They will also be able to name mountains of the UK, and as a class they will focus on one UK mountain to learn more about.  Pupils will have lots of opportunities in this enquiry to use maps and atlases, as well as learning about compass points (x8). They will develop knowledge about significant mountains and rivers and gain an understanding of time zones (GMT). 

In Enquiry Three, they will build on previous knowledge and begin to develop an understanding of agricultural land use as well as how climate can affect land use. Pupils will learn about significant industrial, farming and exporting regions of the world, as well as how farming in developing countries can be difficult, and what food miles (transport) means. 

T4 CA  - The History of my Local Area  

The geography coverage in this theme is in Enquiries Two and Three. Pupils will learn about the five main types of land use - commercial, agricultural, recreational, residential and transportation.  

In Enquiry Three, pupils will continue to develop their compass directions and map skills - including maps of different scales, and map symbols and keys. 

T5 CA  - Our Natural World   

In this theme, pupils will learn about rainforests in Enquiry One, and then develop knowledge of vegetation belts and world biomes in Enquiry Three.  

T6 CA  - Changes in our World  

In Enquiry One, geography learning will be focussed around weather and seasons, as well as the environment and the impact litter and pollution has on it.  

By the end of Enquiry Two, pupils will know and remember that climates are different in different countries, as well as how weather affects rural and urban environments. They will also begin learning about settlements and land use.  

In Enquiry Three, pupils will learn about extreme weather, including volcanoes and earthquakes. They will also develop and understanding of climate change, as well as the Earths layers. 

T2 CB  - The Rulers of Our World  

In Enquiry One, the geography learning will be focussed around recognising landmarks and locating these on a map. Pupils will also have a look at arial photographs. 

In Enquiry Two, pupils will develop skills to describe the type, purpose and use of different buildings.  

In Enquiry Three, pupils will learn about tourism (with a focus on London), as well as population growth and movement. They will also develop knowledge about ordinance surveys. 

T3 CB  - Invading Britain  

Geography coverage in this theme begins at Enquiry Two when pupils will learn about ancient human features, with a local focus on Longbarrows. 

In Enquiry Three, pupils will continue to develop their map work skills and locating countries. 

T4 CB  - Brunel's Engineering Excellence  

In this theme, pupils will continue to have exposure to atlas, globes, compass, and world maps as learning aids. There will be a focus on using these in Enquiry One. In Enquiry Two, pupils will discover the local railway networks (GWR) as well as looking at other transport networks across the UK. They will explore how humans function in the place they live. Will we use the local link to the STEAM museum to immerse children in the learning about the development of the steam train.  

IN Enquiry Three, pupils will develop their knowledge about settlement land use further, as well as looking at water systems. 

T5 CB  - Inspiring Inventors and Inventions  

In Inspiring Inventors and Inventions, pupils will explore natural and man made materials in Enquiry One. They will then go on to learning about natural resources and sustainable energy in Enquiry Three.  

T6 CB   - The Science of our World 

Finally, in this theme, pupils will gain an understanding of satellite imaging in Enquiry Three. 

Enquiry Challenge  

At the end of their enquiry, pupils will have the opportunity to share their final piece of work with peers, staff and families. They will also answer their enquiry question, drawing on the knowledge they have learnt and remembered throughout the term.  

From Explorer 1 through to 4, pupils will be following the formal enquiry Curriculum for the following subjects: 

•      Science 

•      History 

•      Geography 

•      Art 

•      DT 

•      Computing 

•      Music 

•      RE (delivered through a variety of SMSC days) 

Impact of the Geography Curriculum: 

Our aim is that all Springfields pupils will leave the academy with a minimum Entry-level qualification in geography; some may achieve GCSE geography through a personalised provision plan.