Geography
Geography teaches an understanding of places and environments. Through their work in geography, children learn about their local area, and they compare their life in this area with that in other regions in the United Kingdom and in the rest of the world. They learn how to draw and interpret maps, and they develop the skills of research, investigation, analysis and problem-solving. Through their growing knowledge and understanding of human geography, children gain an appreciation of life in other cultures. Geography teaching also motivates children to find out about the physical world, and enables them to recognise the importance of sustainable development for the future of mankind.
At Old Earth School, we aspire for all pupils to develop their curiosity and fascination about the world and it’s people through various topics and experiences. We embrace the curriculum and our aim is that the teaching of Geography promotes a love and enjoyment for the subject.
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• We follow the programmes of study from the National Curriculum for Geography.
The children investigate a range of places both abroad and in Britain in order to develop their understanding of the Earth’s physical and human processes.
• Geography is a prominent part of the curriculum which is addressed through cross curricular and subject specific lessons.
• Children benefit from a series of residential and non-residential trips from Nursery to Year 6 where they develop their ability to apply Geographical skills first hand.
• The teaching of Geography is linked with many other curriculum areas, for example cross-curricular links with Literacy, Numeracy, History, Creative, and Computing.
• Old Earth is an ECO school and sustainability is high on the agenda – we have an Eco extension, solar panels, a wind turbine and a biomass boiler.
Old Earth has strong links with Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve - Classes visit regularly and learn about the River Calder, Seasons, Human Geography, conservation and map skills.
• Old Earth has also been a Britain in Bloom GOLD award holder.
• We continue to regularly have links with teachers and pupils at Trinity College, Kandy, in Sri Lanka.
• We have large gardening plots available for each class to plant seeds, flowers, fruit and vegetables - taking care of their own plot and maintaining it as part of being environmentally responsible.
• Geography in EYFS is taught through Understanding the World. This incorporates opportunities to talk about personal events, places they have visited nearby and further away.
Our Key Stage 1 and 2 curriculum utilizes the materials from an e-learning resource called Odizzi. This resource builds on a solid understanding of people, places and cultures around the world. We have personalised this to children of Old Earth by ensuring that every year group engages in an element of local geography study so that our children have a solid understanding of their immediate locality and identity.
• The impact of Geography at Old Earth School is that our learners are equipped with the geographical skills and knowledge that will enable them to be ready for the secondary curriculum and life as an adult in the wider world.
