Geography

Intent

At Bramley Grange Academy we define geography as the study of people and places near and far away.  Our geography curriculum is aligned with the vision and values of London South East Academy Trust (LSEAT), alongside the expectations of the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework. Our geography curriculum is knowledge-rich, whilst also designed to suit our specific SEMH context.  It seeks to provide each of our pupils —regardless of their starting points and needs —with the support they need to succeed and thrive and foster curiosity and fascination about the world and its people.

Our geography curriculum will expose pupils to each of geography’s 9 key concepts: boundaries, cartography, change, climate, interdependence, movement, physical geography, resources and settlements. These concepts have been drawn from the notable works of Leat (1998), Rowley and Lewis (2003), Holloway et al (2003), Jackson (2006) and the UKKS3 National Curriculum (QCA) 2007 all of which have been adapted and reviewed to suit our SEMH context. These concepts will be revealed through a broad geography curriculum that embraces human and physical geography. It has been designed to provide contextual knowledge of significant places within the UK and globally (terrestrial and marine) and equip pupils to understand the processes which give rise to them. It seeks also to equip pupils with the geographical skills to collect, analyse and communicate geographical information and interpret a range of geographical sources including maps, globes, aerial photographs and artefacts.

In Years 7, 8 and 9 learning is structured to provide strong foundations in the key geographical and use the geography curriculum as a vehicle to support pupils to transition smoothly into KS4 (in any type of educational setting) whilst developing essential functional skills on the way.  As such, enrichment and personal development are integral.  Drawing on our local community and on extracurricular opportunities, use of artefacts and educational visits, the ambition is to ensure pupils develop independence, curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Our aim through our geography curriculum, is to build confidence, resilience and aspiration in our pupils and equip them with the powerful knowledge, skills and cultural capital necessary for success in their lives beyond school.

The geography curriculum intends to:

• Secure strong substantive and disciplinary knowledge, sequenced so pupils know more and remember more over time.
• Equip pupils with the geographical skills to collect, analyse and communicate geographically.
• Provide pupils with contextual knowledge of significant places within the UK and globally (terrestrial and marine).
• Ensure pupils better understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world and how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time.
• Develop functional skills (literacy, numeracy, oracy and problem-solving) that enable pupils to apply learning confidently in real-life and examination contexts.

• Build cultural capital, broadening pupils’ experiences and understanding of the wider world.
• Promote equity and inclusion, ensuring high expectations and appropriate support for SEND, disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils.
• Prepare pupils effectively for KS4, for GCSE and Functional Skills qualifications, post-16 education, employment and lifelong learning.

Implementation

The curriculum is implemented in line with LSEAT principles of strong leadership, high-quality teaching and inclusive practice, and reflects Ofsted’s focus on curriculum quality, coherence and impact.

Key features include:

• A carefully sequenced spiral curriculum, where key knowledge, concepts and skills are revisited and built upon from Year 7 to Year 9
• Clearly defined curriculum end points for each year and each half term, mapped to assessment objectives appropriate to our pupils’ needs.
• High-quality teaching through explicit instruction, modelling, guided practice and independent application.
• Where subject knowledge builds on previous content or relies on prerequisite knowledge, units of learning will begin with retrieval practice and gaps being plugged.
• Regular and purposeful retrieval practice to strengthen long-term memory and build connections.
• Planned opportunities to develop and apply functional skills, including subject-specific disciplinary literacy.
• Adaptive teaching strategies and scaffolding to ensure access, challenge and success for all learners, including SEND and EAL pupils.
• A robust assessment cycle, including formative and assessment, end of unit summative assessments, informing responsive teaching and targeted intervention.

Impact

The impact of the curriculum is measured through outcomes, pupil experience and readiness for future pathways.

Evidence of impact includes:

• Pupils demonstrating secure knowledge, effective use of subject-specific vocabulary, understanding of key historical concepts as well as developed cultural capital.
• Strong progress from KS3 to KS4, with pupils prepared for further geographical study at GCSE and/or Functional Skills examinations.
• Positive assessment outcomes that reflect ambitious targets and closing gaps for disadvantaged pupils.
• Positive Pupil Voice and work scrutiny featuring strong engagement, resilience and pride in work.
• Pupils will leave KS3 equipped with the knowledge, skills and understanding needed for successful progression to KS4 education and training.

Curriculum Overview: Half-Termly & Termly Content (Years 7–9)