Geography Intent
At Norton Campus, our aim is to give all children a strong understanding of the world around them whilst acquiring specific skills and knowledge. Geography is essentially about understanding the world we live in. It helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. Geography is an investigative subject, which develops an understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. Our intent, when teaching geography through expedition, is to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the world and people within it; to promote positive activism about current world issues such as climate emergency, social justice and diversity and belonging. Our three-dimensional approach to learning provides the platform on which we have built our curriculum offer at Norton. As geographers, our children achieve academic success, which inturn is enhanced through character growth and is expressed through the beautiful work they produce.
Geography Implementation
Geography is carefully mapped into our two-year cycle for each phase and is authentically weaved into each expedition. Much of our curriculum is taught through cross curricular learning expeditions that are multi disciplinary and wide reaching in their connectivity, contextualisation and relevance. This is evidenced through our primary standards map that outlines the subject specific geography knowledge and skills that are needed for students to access a progressively demanding curriculum thereby achieving academic success.
We formally review each expedition through our expedition review process. This enables us to rigorously evaluate the quality of our provision in terms of challenge, acquisition and progression of subject knowledge and skills, the connection of the learning to the world and the academic outcomes achieved by our students. This process allows us to iterate each learning experience by recommending changes and consolidating success. Our culture at Norton is that SEND is everyone’s responsibility and inclusion encompasses all students. Our common mission is that all children feel empowered to access the curriculum and achieve their goals through varied strategies, which are regularly reviewed with both child and parents to meet their needs equitably.
All of the learning expeditions at Norton include fieldwork and/or working with experts. This links directly to our design principle of ‘activism’ and provides students with an authentic and purposeful opportunity to further enhance their learning by engaging with experts and in environments outside of school. Engaging with experts and fieldwork offers students the opportunity to work purposefully alongside professionals, or in professional contexts, which provides deep authenticity to the learning that takes place, as well as, providing integrity, accuracy and expertise to the work they engage with. In addition, through fieldwork experiences, students understand and consolidate how the learning they do in school connects to and is enhanced by fieldwork. This provides real purpose and clarity to the learning students participate in.
Geography Impact
Our children engage in learning that is made public to heighten accountability. This is manifested in the outward facing work they create which always has a public audience. Because student work is relevant, purposeful and authentic, this encourages students to craft their best work and grow their character. Our approach encourages the development of socially responsible citizens who care about each other and understand their agency for positive change in the world. Our curriculum is designed to have a positive and enduring impact.
Due to the nature of this curriculum area, geography monitoring takes various forms. A key component of this is pupil voice. School leaders use pupil voice as an effective tool to ascertain the pupils’ ability to express themselves, through questioning and discussion. Expedition book monitoring throughout all year groups also takes place regularly to complement this, allowing leaders to ensure our geographers have the opportunity to develop their knowledge fully and showcase their understanding. Examples of our geographers’ work are exhibited throughout the school, by sharing our stories on the school website and within the local community.