“Unless someone like you cares a whole lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” [The Lorax, Dr Seuss]
At George Mitchell School, Geography is used as a springboard to learning across a half term. From mountains to rivers, Spain to Nigeria, our skilled teachers inspire each and every child to explore their world, build knowledge and forge connections with their everyday lives.
Our aim is to nurture thoughtful citizens of the world who are informed, aware and understand that they can make a difference. This is underpinned by the National Curriculum Geography Programmes of Study. From Nursery, our children learn about the world’s people, places and features, progressively building an understanding of how links can be made from the food that they eat, places they visit and their contribution to looking after our planet.
Enrichment
Our Calendar of Events includes regular Geography activities and quizzes, designed to promote excitement and embed knowledge. We also have a number of inspiring Geography trips and visitors, links with children across the world, including our Year 3 Penpals in China project, and Enrichment lessons where children can explore an aspect of Geography outside our usual curriculum.
What can you do at home?
- Share stories and photographs about the past from personal experiences, including those from other countries
- Engage children with planning day trips e.g. knowing the tube map, using a SatNav, reading road signs on car journey
- Add a children’s atlas to their bookshelf – and look at it together
- Explore different types of interactive digital maps. Find your home on a satellite map and plot your route to school!
- Watch documentaries like Blue Planet II together
- Use the excellent (and free) lesson videos available at Oak National Academy
- Explore the wonderful resources available on BBC Bitesize
- Display a world map and refer to it daily when listening to/watching the news, talking about sport, animals etc. Challenge each other to find certain countries as quickly as possible.
- Choose children’s TV with Geography in mind. We love the Go Jetters!
More TV recommendations:
Andy’s Wild Adventures (CBeebies)
What’s on Your Plate (CBeebies)
Andy’s Prehistoric Adventures (CBBC)
Curriculum, Planning and Assessment
National Curriculum Programme of Study for Geography
George Mitchell Primary Curriculum
Geography is taught as a discrete subject each alternate half term but where relevant, links are forged and deepened through other subjects. Our children know when they are ‘doing’ Geography. An emphasis is placed on vocabulary through morning starter activities, word mats, displays and lesson starters.
To excite and engage pupils, we use a range of sources and experiences. These include: maps, globes, artefacts, visitors, workshops, field trips, videos, books, drama and stories. As with our core subjects, we use our feedback and marking policy to inform next steps so that all pupils make progress.
At George Mitchell, quality first teaching is a non-negotiable. Engaging and inclusive geography lessons are planned so that all pupils learn and develop a love for the subject. Geography is a rich source of cultural capital and the range of Geography activities we have both within and outside of lessons reflects the value we place on this.