Geography at Ingatestone and Fryerning C of E Junior School

Effective mastery of geography enables children to be able to make comparisons and analyse patterns, showing their understanding of geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography.

We aim to foster within our school a fascination with the world around us and encourage pupils to develop a sense of enquiry. During lessons, pupils can explore other localities and cultures within the UK and around the world.

The use of high-quality resources such as atlases, Ordnance Survey maps, aerial maps, Google Earth and photos are used to stimulate curiosity and encourage deep thinking. They begin to explore the community in which they live and understand some of the factors that have shaped it and their role in its future development. Alongside all of this, we encourage pupils to reflect on the impact they have on other places and people and identify the positive changes they can make to the world around them.

Children are encouraged to ask their own inquisitive questions and are given time to contribute to peer discussions and debates, considering spatial, economic, environmental and social implications.

Teachers will start topics by finding out what pupils know already and what questions they have about a subject. Planning will include short starters which recap on previous learning, encourage recall of facts and pose thought-provoking questions. Higher order questioning during lessons ensures that pupils can deepen their understanding of different cultures and the way landscapes alter over time and the effect this has on populations. Marking will include a reflective question to encourage the pupil to think even more deeply. 

Displays will include key vocabulary and open-ended questions to promote thinking.

As a result of this, pupils will have a deeper understanding of the world around them.