Geography Curriculum Intent

The purpose of the Geography curriculum at St. Edmund’s is to provide pupils will a general, robust overview of Earth’s physical and human processes. We aim to give a broad coverage of the major disciplines within the subject with a strong emphasis on developing their geographical knowledge. The most important aspect of the subject for our department is the development of locational knowledge and a sense of place- what is the purpose of geography if not to inform people of where they are and what other places are like?

The relevant geographical skills such as map-reading and data interpretation are taught concurrently with the relatively equal balance of physical and human geographical knowledge. We hope to develop our pupils’ appreciation of and interest in the development of our planet over time and the contemporary challenges that we face as a species.

The Team

KS3  

Within Key Stage 3, our Geography curriculum begins with an introduction to the subject of geography as well as the teaching of map reading, an essential geographic skill. We then explore the Earth’s continents and regions to develop locational knowledge and a sense of place. In Year 8 and 9 we then cover specific geographic disciplines and topics, alternating between human and physical geography, and the relevant geographic skills necessary to access each topic. In doing so, we look closely at specific geographic features, processes, people, cultures and communities to development our pupils’ curiosity and understanding of the wider world around them.  

KS4  

Building upon the knowledge taught in Key Stage 3, in Key Stage 4 our pupils further explore, construct and investigate many areas of geography. This includes applying geographic knowledge from multiple areas of geographic study. For example, both understanding what a physical process is and how or why it occurs, and then how it impacts communities and their responses to it. There is further development of geographic skills including map work, data interpretation and the introduction of fieldwork. Alongside this, students are encouraged to consider contemporary issues (climate change, renewable energy sources, migration) and their future impact on our planet.