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Geography

Geography Vision

At Haberdashers' Crayford Primary, we intend for children to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world around them as well as their place in the world. Geography is a key subject to help pupils understand their impact on the natural world and their links with other people in the wider world. This lends itself well to our global curriculum that includes a variety of global perspectives and allows our pupils the chance to be empathetic, 21st Century learners. Linked into our Geography curriculum are the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals.

Our pupils are particularly passionate about climate action and work hard both inside and outside of school to ensure our community is a clean, safe place to live. The ‘little pickers’ group clean the community twice a week and share the importance of litter picking with others. We are proud to say that the group are supported by the local council and have won awards such as Morrisons’ ‘Little Sunshine’ award for their hard work in the community.

 

Our vision for geography is implemented through carefully sequenced lessons which are planned according to the national curriculum and our subject knowledge overview. Key knowledge is built upon each year to develop the whole child and allow them to become well-rounded individuals. Lessons throughout the school are complemented by quality resources such as Lyfta. Lyfta allows children to gain a deeper understanding of global perspectives and virtually visit every country by the end of their schooling.

Our Geography curriculum is carefully planned into long-term plans and where possible, taught in a cross-curricular fashion. Where this is not possible, key skills and knowledge are explicitly taught to ensure the curriculum is not narrowed and our pupils are still exposed to the key information they need to progress within the subject. Children have the opportunity to explore inside and outside the classroom through a range of creative, practical, and engaging tasks.

 

Geography Overview

Geography Overview 2023-2024

Geography Progression Map

 

Nursery 3-4

Autumn

Building on prior understanding​

Pupils should be exposed to​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Talk about where I live (e.g. flat/house number, name of street)​
  • Identify appropriate clothes to go outside in different types of weather​
  • Some animals, like bears, hibernate in the winter​
  • Types of weather include sunny, rainy, windy, snowy​
  • We see puddles when it's rainy, shadows during the day and rainbows when there is sunshine and rain​
  • Location of UK on a globe​
  • Habitats are the places that living things live​
  • Different animals live in different habitats​
  • Different countries in the world experience different types of weather​
  • The North Pole and the South Pole are at the top and bottom of the Earth​
  • We live on the Earth (Y1 Aut)​
  • My home, our school and our community is at the local scale (Y1 Aut)​
  • Science: A habitat is a place that living things live. A very small habitat is called a micro-habitat. These can be found within larger habitats (Y2 Spr)​

Disciplinary

Using map types:

  • Globe​

VCs

  • Location & place: Where I live​
  • Location & place: North Pole and South Pole​
  • Location & place: Countries and capital cities of the UK; some human and physical features of the UK (Y1)​

 

 

 

 

 

Summer

 

Building on prior understanding​

Pupils should be exposed to​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Location of Africa on a globe​
  • The Serengeti is a grassland, with habitats home to animals like zebras, lions, giraffes, hippos, vultures, snakes, toads and scorpions​
  • The Congo Basin is a tropical rainforest, with habitats home to animals like gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, crocodiles, leopards, peafowl, frogs, lots of fish and spiders​

Disciplinary

Using map types:

  • Globe​

VCs

  • Location & place: Where I live​
  • Location & place: Location of the continent of Africa​
  • Location & place: Countries and capital cities of the UK; some human and physical features of the UK (Y1)​
  • Location & place: Comparison of areas in UK with areas in contrasting non-European country (Kenya)​

 

Reception

Spring

 

Building on prior understanding​

Pupils should be exposed to​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Talk about where I live (e.g. flat/house number, name of street) (N3-4)​
  • There are differences in the wildlife we see and the weather in spring and winter​
  • Insects like ants, bees, and ladybirds are animals​
  • Spiders and insects live in the habitats around our school​
  • Some plants have flowers​

Disciplinary

Using map types:

  • Globe​

  • A&P: Show care and concern for living things in the environment​
  • A&P: Recognise simple hazards and plan steps we can take to reduce them (Y1 Aut)​

VCs

  • Location & place: Where I live​
  • Interconnections: We can see patterns in the world around us​
  • Interconnections: Humans are affected by physical features everyday (e.g. weather) (Y1)​

 

Summer

Prior understanding​

Pupils should be exposed to​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Features include beach, hill, forest, river, sea, village, town and city​
  • Location of Kenya on a globe​
  • Handa's life in Kenya is different to our lives in the UK today. Not everyone in the UK lives the same way we do, and not everyone in Kenya lives like Handa does​
  • There are poorer and wealthier areas in every county and city (Y1 Sum)​
  • Human and physical features of Nairobi and local city in the UK (Y1 Sum)​
  • Human and physical features of Naro Maru and local rural area in the UK (Y1 Sum)​

Disciplinary

Using map types:

  • Globe​

  • Using scale: Use prepositions (e.g. bigger/smaller; nearer/further)​
  • Using scale: Know that drawings are not the same size of features in real life​
  • Perspective: A map is a drawing of a place from above​
  • Perspective: Look at and identify objects from a plan view​
  • Scale drawing: Draw around objects to make a plan view of them, and identify objects from a plan photograph/drawing of them​
  • Location: Interpret and give locations using prepositional language​
  • Direction: Interpret and give directions using directional language (not left and right)​
  • Interpretation: Relate familiar features on a map to everyday life​
  • Interpretation: Identify similarities and differences between my local area and another place​
  • Interpretation: Give and interpret their own or basic symbols and key​

Using map types:

  • Photographs of objects in elevation view (from front)​
  • Photographs of objects in plan view (from directly above)​
  • Simple picture maps​
  • Photographs of objects and places in oblique view (from diagonally above)​

VCs

  • Location & place: Where I live​
  • Location & place: Location of the continent of Africa​
  • Geographical scale: We can look at maps and globes that show places of different sizes​
  • Location & place: Comparing our community with those in Kenya​
  • Geographical scale: Our community is at the local scale, our country is at the national scale, continents are at the global scale (Y1)​
  • Geographical scale: When making comparisons, the two places need to be at the same scale (Y1)​

 

 

Year 1

Autumn

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Talk about where I live (e.g. flat/house number, name of street) (N3-4 Aut1)​
  • Location of UK on a globe (N3-4 Aut1)​
  • Materials can be artificial (man-made) or natural (N3-4 Aut2)​
  • We live on the Earth.​
  • My home, our school and our community is at the local scale.​
  • Human settlements can be a citytown, or village, depending on their size.​
  • Human features are man-made, physical features are those that would be there without humans​
  • Human features in my local area include: [dependent on school]​
  • Physical features in my local area include: [dependent on school]​
  • Mapping our local area (Y2 Aut)​
  • Countries of the UK (Y1 Spr)​
  • Settlements can be hamlets, villages, towns or cities (Y3 Spr)​

Disciplinary

  • A map is a drawing of a place from above (Rec Spr2)​
  • Draw around objects to make a plan view of them (Rec Spr2)​
  • Look at and identify objects from a plan view (Rec Spr2)​
  • Observe using senses (Rec Spr2)​
  • Interpret and give locations and directions using prepositional language (not left and right) (Rec Spr2)​
  • Identify familiar features (Rec Spr2)​

Using map types:

  • Photographs of objects in elevation view (EYFS)​
  • Photographs of objects in a plan view (EYFS)​
  • Picture map (EYFS)​
  • Photographs of places in an oblique view (EYFS)​
  • A plan view is the view of an object or place from above​
  • Look down on objects to draw a plan view of them​
  • Draw a route on a map and label features in correct order​
  • Interpret and give locations and directions using left and right​
  • Recognise simple hazards and steps we can take to avoid them​
  • Draw a basic fieldsketch of one area​
  • Observe and name features in the environment​

Using map types:

  • Simple map (Google maps) in a plan view​
  • Draw a route on a map to simple scale (using 1 square : 1 pace) (Y2)​
  • Interpret and give locations using 4 compass points (Y2)​

Using map types:

  • Satellite image (Google Earth) in plan view (Y2)​
  • Photographs of places in a plan view (Y2)​

VCs

  • Location & place: Where I live (N3-4)​
  • Geographical scale: Our community is at the local scale​
  • Geographical scale: Our country is at the national scale (Y1)​
  • Geographical scale: Continents are at the national scale (Y1)​
  • Geographical scale: Recognise maps at the local, national and global scale, and select the most appropriate one (Y3)​

 

 

 

 

Spring

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Features include beach, hill, forest, river, sea, village, town and city (N3-4 Sum1)​
  • We live on the Earth (Y1 Aut)​
  • My home, our school and our community is at the local scale (Y1 Aut)​
  • Human settlements can be a city, town or village, depending on their size (Y1 Aut)​
  • Human features are man-made, physical features are those that would be there without humans (Y1 Aut)​
  • Human features in my local area include: [dependent on school] (Y1 Aut)​
  • Physical features in my local area include: [dependent on school] (Y1 Aut)​
  • My home, our school and our community is at the local scale, UK and countries are at the national scale
  • The UK is made of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland​
  • Rural means countryside, urban means towns and cities​
  • The capital cities of the four countries in the UK are London (England), Edinburgh (Scotland), Cardiff (Wales) and Belfast (Northern Ireland)​
  • Features in rural areas include farmhillmountainforest and river
  • Features in urban areas include officeshophousefactory
  • Coastal areas are areas of land that are near the sea. They can be rural or urban​
  • Features in coastal areas include beachcliffharbour and port
  • The seas that surround the UK are the North Sea, the Irish Sea and the English Channel (Y2 Sum)​
  • UK, Great Britain, British Isles (Y3 Aut)​
  • The UK is spit into regions and counties (Y3 Aut)​
  • Features around rivers include valleys, mountains, hills and vegetation (Y2 Sum)​
  • There are several mountain ranges in the UK, including Grampian Mountains (Scotland), Pennines (England) and Cambrian Mountains (Wales) (Y3 Aut)​
  • The three longest rivers in the UK are the Severn, Thames and Trent (Y3 Aut)​

Disciplinary

Using maps types:

  • Simple map (Google maps) in a plan view​
  • Photographs of places in an oblique view​
  • Identify land and water on a map​
  • Identify country boundaries on a map​
  • Identify county boundaries on a map (Y3)​

VCs

  • Geographical scale: Our community is at the local scale (Y1)​
  • Geographical scale: Our country is at the national scale​
  • Location & place: Countries and capital cities of the UK; some human and physical features of the UK​
  • Interconnections: Humans are affected by physical features everyday (e.g. weather)​
  • Geographical scale: Continents are at the national scale (Y1)​
  • Geographical scale: Recognise maps at the local, national and global scale, and select the most appropriate one (Y3)​
  • Location & place: Rivers of the UK; seas surrounding the UK (Y2)​
  • Interconnections: Human features are often shaped by physical features (Y2)​

 

Summer

 

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Different countries in the world experience different types of weather (Rec Sum1)​
  • The North Pole and the South Pole are at the top and bottom of the Earth (Rec Sum1)​
  • Location of Kenya on a globe (Rec Sum1)​
  • Handa's life in Kenya is different to our lives in the UK today. Not everyone in the UK lives the same way we do, and not everyone in Kenya lives like Handa does (Rec Sum1)​
  • We live on the Earth (Y1 Aut)​
  • Human features are man-made, physical features are those that would be there without humans (Y1 Aut)​
  • My home, our school and our community is at the local scale, UK and countries are at the national scale (Y1 Spr)​
  • Rural means countryside; urban means towns and cities (Y1 Spr)​
  • Features in rural areas include farm, hill, mountain, forest and river (Y1 Spr)​
  • Features in urban areas include office, shop, house, factory (Y1 Spr)​
  • There are seven continents in the world, six of which people live on.​
  • There are countries within each continent (except Antarctica)​
  • While the school and community are at the local scale, and countries are at the national scale, continents are at the global scale
  • The equator is an imaginary line across the earth​
  • The North Pole and the South Pole are at the top and bottom of the Earth​
  • Kenya is a country in Africa which has the equator running through it​
  • Urban areas in different parts of the world have similarities and differences.​
  • There are poorer and wealthier areas in every city​
  • Human and physical features of Nairobi and local city in UK​
  • Rural areas in different parts of the world have similarities and differences.​
  • Human and physical features of Naro Moru and local rural area in UK​
  • The are five oceans (Y2)​
  • Lines of longitude and latitude are imaginary lines that help us locate places on Earth (Y3)​
  • Lines of longitude run north to south. The main one is called the Prime Meridian  (Y3)​
  • Lines of latitude run east to west. The main ones are called the Equator, Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle (Y3)​
  • The Equator splits the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres (Y3)​
  • The Prime Meridian splits the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres (Y3)​

Disciplinary

  • Identify similarities between my local area and another place (EYFS)​
  • Identify country boundaries on a map (Y1 Spr)​
  • Science: Use a Venn diagram to classify items into two or three sets based on properties (Y1 Sum)​

Using map types:

  • Simple map (Google maps)​
  • Photographs of places in an oblique view​
  • Globe (EYFS)​
  • Use an atlas to find the right map​
  • A globe is a round map of the Earth​
  • Use and interpret 2 compass points (N and S)​

Using map types:

  • Infant atlas​
  • Use and interpret 4 compass points (Y2)​

Using map types:

  • Junior atlas (Y3)​

VCs

  • Geographical scale: Our community is at the local scale; our country is at the national scale (Y1)​
  • Location & place: Seven continents; Equator, North Pole and South Pole​
  • Location & place: Comparison of areas in UK with areas in contrasting non-European country (Kenya)​
  • Geographical scale: Continents are at the global scale​
  • Geographical scale: When making comparisons, the two places need to be at the same scale​
  • Location & place: Five oceans (Y2)​
  • Geographical scale: Recognise maps at the local, national and global scale, and select the most appropriate one (Y3)​

 

Year 2

Autumn

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Types of weather include sunny, rainy, and windy (EYFS)​
  • Science: The weather can change rapidly in one day (e.g. sunny morning and rainy afternoon) (Y1 Aut)​
  • Human features are man-made, physical features are those that would be there without humans (Y1 Aut)​
  • Rural means countryside; urban means towns and cities (Y1 Spr)​
  • While the school and community are at the local scale, and countries are at the national scale, continents are at the global scale (Y1 Sum)​
  • The UK and our local area have daily weather patterns.​
  • Examples of weather include sunny, rainy, windy, warm, cold, cloudy, drizzle, snow, stormy (with thunder and lightning)​
  • Weather is a description of what the conditions are like in a particular place.​
  • We can gather information about the weather in a particular place.​
  • The weather is short-term. Climate is long-term summary of the weather conditions (Y2)​
  • Precipitation is the fall of water as rain, sleet, snow or hail (Y2)​

Disciplinary

  • Mathematics: Use words to describe volume, lengths/heights (Y1)​
  • Science: Record numerical and/or descriptive observations in a table (Y1 Aut)​
  • Science: Scientists look for patterns in the world around them  (Y1 Aut)​
  • Science: Make simple statements about the result of an investigation (Y1 Spr)​
  • Science: It is important that we keep as much as we can the same, apart from the one thing we measure and the one thing we change (Y1 Spr)​
  • Give and interpret their own or basic symbols and key (EYFS)​
  • Know that drawings are not the same size of features in real life (EYFS)​
  • Look down on objects to draw a plan view of them (Y1 Aut)​
  • Draw a route on a map and label features in the correct order (Y1 Aut)​
  • Recognise simple hazards and steps we can take to avoid them (Y1 Aut)​
  • Use and interpret 2 compass points (NS) (Y1 Sum)​

Using maps:

  • Simple maps (Google maps) in a plan view​
  • Photographs of places in oblique view​
  • Identify patterns (in the weather)​
  • Draw routes between locations on playground on squared paper using scale 1 square : 1 pace (or 1 metre, if pupils have learned this in maths by this stage in Y2)​
  • Draw a sketch map of a route with some approximate scale and features in correct order​
  • Use and interpret 4 compass points​

  • Draw an object to scale (Y4)​
  • Use an interpret 8 compass points (Y3)​

Using map types:

  • Photographs of places a plan view​

VCs

  • Geographical scale: Our community is at the local scale, our country is at the national scale, continents are at the global scale (Y1)​
  • Geographical scale: Recognise maps at the local, national and global scale, and select the most appropriate one (Y3)​

 

Spring

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Different countries in the world experience different types of weather (N3-4 Aut1)​
  • Science: The weather can change rapidly (e.g. sunny morning and rainy afternoon) within and across days (Y1 Aut)​
  • Human features are man-made, physical features are those that would be there without humans (Y1 Spr)​
  • There are seven continents in the world, six of which people live on (Y1 Sum)​
  • There are countries within each continent except Antarctica (Y1 Sum)​
  • The equator is an imaginary line across the earth (Y1 Sum)​
  • The North Pole and the South Pole are at the top and bottom of the Earth (Y1 Sum)​
  • The weather is short-term. Climate is long-term summary of the weather conditions​
  • Precipitation is the fall of water as rain, sleet, snow or hail​
  • Deserts are places where there is very little precipitation​
  • Hot deserts have a very hot and dry climate​
  • Cold deserts have a very cold and dry climate​
  • Hot and cold deserts are found in all continents and vary in size​
  • Hot deserts are usually found near the Equator
  • Cold deserts are usually found near the North and South Poles
  • Features of a hot desert include rocks, sand dunesoases, and small settlements.​
  • Features of a cold desert include mountainsice sheets, and small settlements, including research stations.​
  • The Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert in the world; the Antarctic Desert is the largest cold desert (and the largest desert overall)​
  • Climate zones share long-term weather patterns. There are six main climate zones:  polar, temperate, arid, tropical, Mediterranean and mountains (Y5)​
  • Biomes are areas of the world that, because of similar climates, have similar landscapes, animals and plants (Y5)​
  • Science: Adaptations of animals and plants in hot and cold deserts: Arctic fox, shrubs, camels and cacti (Y2 Sum)​

Disciplinary

  • Identify similarities and differences between my local area and one other place (Y1 Sum)​
  • Science: Use a Venn diagram to classify items into two or three sets based on properties (Y1 Sum)​

Using map types:

  • Simple map (Google maps)​
  • Photographs of areas in an oblique view​
  • Globe​
  • Identify similarities and differences between two non-local places​

Using map types:

  • Satellite image (Google Earth) in a plan view​

  • Explain similarities and differences, using geographical knowledge (Y3)​

VCs

  • Location & place: Seven continents; Equator, North Pole, South Pole (Y1)​
  • Geographical scale: Our community is at the local scale, our country is at the national scale, continents are at the global scale (Y1)​
  • Location & place: Locating hot and cold deserts across the world​
  • Geographical scale: Some physical features – like rivers or deserts – span local, national and even global scales​
  • Interconnections: Human features are often shaped by physical features​
  • Location & place: Locating climate zones and biomes (Y5)​
  • Geographical scale: The effects of physical features – like volcanoes – can be felt at the local, national and global scale (Y3)​
  • Interconnections: Physical features are affected by human activities

 

 

 

 

Summer

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Features include beach, hill, forest, river, sea, village, town and city (Rec Sum1)​
  • Human features are man-made, physical features are those that would be there without humans (Y1 Aut)​
  • The UK is made of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and N Ireland; their capital cities are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast (Y1 Spr)​
  • Rural means countryside; urban means towns and cities (Y1 Spr)​
  • Features in rural areas include farm, hill, mountain, forest and river (Y1 Spr)​
  • Features in urban areas include office, shop, house, factory (Y1 Spr)​
  • Coastal areas are areas of land that are near to the sea. They can be rural or urban (Y1 Spr)​
  • Features in coastal areas include beach, cliff, harbour, and port (Y1 Spr)​
  • History: The Thames river flows through London (and people used water to put out the Great Fire) (Y2 Spr)​
  • Riverslakesseas and oceans are all bodies of water. Rivers flow into lakes and seas; seas connect to oceans​
  • Rivers travel from highland areas (the source) to lowland areas (the mouth)​
  • Human features around rivers include valleysmountainshills and vegetation
  • Land use is how land is used by humans.​
  • Land use can include economicleisure, or settlements.​
  • The seas that surround the UK are the North Sea, the Irish Sea and the English Channel
  • There are five oceans in the world. These are larger than seas​
  • The seas around the UK flow into the Atlantic Ocean
  • Harbours are found (and ports can be found) where the land meets the sea​
  • Humans use seas and oceans for economic and leisure uses.​
  • It is important to protect our rivers, seas and oceans, and there are a range of ways that we can take action.​
  • The three longest rivers in the UK are the Severn, Thames and Trent (Y3)​
  • A river has three courses: upper, middle and lower (Y5)​
  • The three river processes are: erosion, transportation and deposition; these help form waterfalls, meanders and floodplains (Y5)​
  • Comparing human and physical features around the rivers Sever, Mississippi and Danube (Y5)​
  • The water cycle (Science Y4; Y5)​
  • Improving the environment (Y6)​

Disciplinary

  • A map is a drawing of a place from above (EYFS)​
  • A plan view is the view of an object from above (Y1 Aut)​
  • Use and interpret 4 compass points (Y2 Aut)​
  • Identify familiar features (EYFs)​
  • Science: Use a Venn diagram to classify items into two or three sets based on properties (Y1 Sum)​

Using map types:

  • Simple maps (Google maps) in plan view​
  • Photographs of places in oblique view​
  • Globe​
  • Satellite image (Google Earth) in plan view​

Using map types:

  • Photographs of places in a plan view​

Using map types:

  • OS maps (Y3)​
  • Physical vs political maps (Y3)​

VCs

  • Location & place: Countries and capital cities of the UK; some human and physical features (Y1)​
  • Location & place: Seven continents (Y1)​
  • Interconnections: Human features are often shaped by physical features (Y2)​
  • Location & place: Seas surrounding the UK​
  • Location & place: Five oceans​
  • Location & place: Rivers of the UK (Y3)​

 

Year 3

Autumn

 

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Human settlements can be a city, town or village, depending on their size (Y1 Aut)​
  • Human features are man-made, physical features would be there without humans (Y1 Aut)​
  • The UK is made of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and N Ireland; their capital cities are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast (Y1 Spr)​
  • Rural means countryside; urban means towns and cities (Y1 Spr)​
  • Features in rural areas include farm, hill, mountain, forest and river (Y1 Spr)​
  • Features in urban areas include office, shop, house, factory (Y1 Spr)​
  • Features in coastal areas include beach, cliff, harbour, and port (Y1 Spr)​
  • Rivers, lakes, seas and oceans are all bodies of water. Rivers flow into lakes and seas; seas connect to oceans (Y2 Sum)​
  • Features around rivers include valleys, mountains, hills and vegetation (Y2 Sum)​
  • The seas that surround the UK are the North Sea, the Irish Sea and the English Channel (Y2 Sum)​
  • Land use is how land is used by humans (Y2 Sum)​
  • The UK is made of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and N Ireland; Great Britain is made up of England, Scotland and Wales; British Isles is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland​
  • England and the UK are split into regions
  • Regions in England and the UK are split into counties
  • There are several mountain ranges in the UK, including Grampian Mountains (Scotland), Pennines (England) and Cambrian Mountains (Wales)​
  • The three longest rivers in the UK are the Severn, Thames and Trent​
  • Settlements can be hamletsvillagestowns and cities, depending on their size​
  • Physical features of the North West (or other region) include mountainshillsforestscliffbeachriver, and valley
  • Human features of the North West (or other region) include national parkshamletsvillagestowns and citiesfactoriesoffices
  • Land use in the North West has changed over time (green space is filled; towns have become larger)​
  • The Lake District is a National Park in England (Y3)​
  • Bournemouth is located on the south coast of England, and there are a variety of human and physical features there (Y3)​
  • Many people in the Amalfi Coast, the Alps, Bournemouth and the Lake District rely on tourism, and there are ways that it can be managed responsibly (Y3)​
  • Comparing human and physical features around the river Severn with rivers Danube and Mississippi (Y5)​

Disciplinary

  • Use and interpret 4 compass points (Y2 Aut)​
  • Identify land and water on a map (Y1 Spr)​
  • Identify country boundaries on a map (Y1 Spr)​

Using map types:

  • Simple maps (Google maps)​
  • Satellite images (Google Earth)​
  • Photographs of areas in oblique view​
  • Photographs of areas in plan view ​
  • Use and interpret 8 compass points​
  • Identify county boundaries on a map​
  • Give and interpret standard OS symbols​
  • Political maps show human boundaries and features; physical maps show physical boundaries and features​

Using map types:

  • OS maps​
  • Physical maps​

Using map types:

  • Thematic maps​

VCs

  • Location & place: Countries and capital cities of the UK, and some human and physical features (Y1); seas surrounding the UK (Y2)​
  • Location & place: Rivers of the UK; UK, Great Britain, British Isles; counties and regions in the UK; land use in the UK​
  • Location & place: In depth study of the River Severn (Y5)​

 

Spring

 

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Science: Substances can exist as solids, liquids and gases (Y2 Sum)​
  • Features in rural areas include farm, hill, mountain, forest and river (Y1 Spr)​
  • There are seven continents in the world, six of which people live on (Y1 Sum)​
  • There are five oceans in the world. These are larger than seas (Y2 Sum)​
  • Science: Plants need air (oxygen and carbon dioxide), water, light, nutrients from the soil, space, and a suitable temperature to grow (Y3)​
  • The Earth is made of four main layers: the inner core (solid), the outer core (liquid), the mantle (semi-liquid) and the crust (solid)​
  • The upper part of the mantle and the crust combine to make the lithosphere. The lithosphere is split into tectonic plates that meet at plate boundaries.​
  • Tectonic plates can be oceanic (heavier) or continental (lighter). ​
  • Because the mantle is semi-liquid, tectonic plates move around each other​
  • mountain is land that is higher than the surrounding areas, usually above 600m. It is steeper and taller than a hill.​
  • Fold mountains can be formed when two continental plates move towards each other and collide​
  • The Himalayas (Asia), Alps (Europe) and the Andes (South America) are all fold mountain ranges.​
  • volcano is an opening in the Earth’s crust through which material can erupt.​
  • Volcanoes (and fold mountains) can be formed when an oceanic plate and a continental plate move toward each other​
  • Volcanoes can be activedormant or extinct
  • The Pacific Ring of Fire is an imaginary line where lots of volcanoes exist​
  • Products of volcanoes include lavapyroclastic flowsash clouds, lahars
  • Volcanoes can also be tourist attractions; provide nutrients in the soil; and the heat can be used to heat water​
  • La Soufriere is a volcano on the island of St Vincent in the Caribbean that erupted in April 2021.​
  • Etna is a volcano on the island of Sicily (Italy) which erupts regularly, including at least 50 times in 2021.​
  • Tectonic activity causes earthquakes (Y4 Sum)​
  • History: St Vincent is an island in the Caribbean, and was home to the Garifuna people (Y5 Sum)​

Disciplinary

  • A plan view is the view of an object from above (Y1)​
  • Identify similarities and differences between two non-local places (Y1 Sum)​
  • Political maps show human boundaries and features; physical maps show physical boundaries and features​
  • Science: Make a prediction based on substantive knowledge (Y2 Aut)​

Using maps:

  • Globe
  • Satellite images (Google Earth)
  • Photographs of places in oblique view
  • Photographs of places in plan view 
  • World maps can be drawn from different perspectives, including the Pacific-centred map​
  • Explain similarities and differences, using geographical knowledge​
  • The Mercator projection is what is commonly use but distorts continents and makes European countries look larger. Peters projection shows continents on a more accurate scale (Y5)​

VCs

  • Location & place: Seven continents and five oceans; Equator, North Pole, South Pole (Y1)​
  • Geographical scale: Some physical features can span local, national and even global scales (Y2)​
  • Location & place: Locating volcanoes across the world; location and effects of eruption at La Soufrière (Saint Vincent) and Etna (Italy)​
  • Geographical scale: The effects of physical features – like volcanoes – can be felt at the local, national and even global scale​
  • Geographical scale: While physical effects are felt most predominantly at the local or national scale, the response can be at the global scale (Y4)​

Summer 1

 

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Coastal areas are areas of land that are near to the sea. They can be rural or urban (Y1 Spr)​
  • Features in coastal areas include beach, cliff, harbour, and port (Y1 Spr)​
  • The weather is short-term. Climate is long-term summary of the weather conditions (Y2 Spr)​
  • Land use is how land is used by humans, and csn include economic, leisure, or settlements. (Y2 Sum)​
  • Physical features of the North West (or other region) include mountains, hills, forests, cliff, beach, river and valley (Y3)​
  • Human features of the North West (or other region) include national parks, hamlets, villages, town and cities, factories and offices (Y3)​
  • The Himalayas (Asia), Alps (Europe) and the Andes (South America) are all fold mountain ranges (Y3 Spr)​
  • Europe is made up of 50 countries; Russia is split across Asia and Europe​
  • The Alps stretch across France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and other countries. The Lake District is a National Park in England​
  • The Amalfi Coast is located in Italy and there are a variety of human and physical features along the Amalfi Coast. Bournemouth is located on the south coast of England, and there are a variety of human and physical features there​
  • We can categorise effects into socialeconomic and environmental
  • Tourism is the business of supporting and encouraging people to visit a place for fun​
  • The four locations experience positive impacts (social and economic) and negative (environmental and social) from tourism Many people in the four locations t rely on tourism, and there are ways that it can be managed responsibly
  • Comparing human and physical features in around a local river in the UK, the Danube in Europe, Mississippi in North America and the Amazon river in South America (Y5)​
  • Categorising effects of earthquakes into social, economic and environmental (Y4)​

Disciplinary

  • Science: Use a Carroll diagram to classify items based on their properties (Y1 Spr)​
  • Identify country boundaries on a map (Y1 Spr)​
  • Interpretation: Use an atlas to find the right map (Y1 Sum)​
  • Identify similarities and differences between two non-local places (Y2 Spr)​
  • Political maps show human boundaries and features; physical maps show physical boundaries and features (Y3 Aut)​
  • Use and interpret 8-compass points (Y3 Aut)​

Using map types:

  • Satellite images (Google Earth)​
  • Photographs of places in oblique and plan view​
  • OS maps​
  • Say whether a map is at the local, national or global scale​
  • Spatially match locations on maps of different scales​
  • Identify a range of political and physical boundaries​

Using map types:

  • Junior atlas​

Using map types:

  • Thematic maps​

VCs

  • Location & place: Human and physical features in the UK (Y1, Y3)​
  • Interconnections: Human features are often shaped by physical features (Y2)​
  • Geographical scale: Our community is at the local scale, our country is at the national scale, continents are at the global scale (Y1)​
  • Location & place: Locating countries (including Russia) in EuropeHuman and physical features of the Amalfi Coast and the Alps​
  • Interconnections: There are similarities and differences between places, even if they have similar physical and/or human features​
  • Geographical scale: Recognise maps at the local, national and global level and select the most appropriate one​
  • Location & place: Human and physical features around the Danube River (Y5)​
  • Interconnections: There are similarities and differences between HICs, MICs and LICs (Y4)​

 

Summer 2

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Names of common  human and physical features (Y1-3)​
  • While the school and community are at the local scale, and countries are at the national scale, continents are at the global scale (Y1 Sum)​
  • There are seven continents in the world, six of which people live on (Y1 Sum)​
  • There are five oceans in the world (Y2 Sum)​
  • The equator is an imaginary line across the earth (Y1 Sum)​
  • The North Pole and the South Pole are at the top and bottom of the Earth (Y1 Sum)​
  • There are poorer and wealthier areas in every county and city (Y1 Sum)​
  • History: Hunter-gatherers are people who travel looking for animals to hunt and plants and berries to gather (Y3 Aut)​
  • Agriculture is the farming of plants (arable) and animals (pastoral) to eat (Y3)​
  • Lines of longitude and latitude are imaginary lines that help us locate places on Earth. Lines of longitude run north to south. The main one is called the Prime Meridian. Lines of latitude run east to west. The main ones are called the EquatorTropics of Cancer and CapricornArctic and Antarctic Circle
  • The Equator splits the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres; the Prime Meridian splits the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres
  • South America is made up of 12 countries. Brazil is located in South America; it is the largest country on the continent. The Andes Mountains are found along the entire western coast of South America, covering 7 countries​
  • Brazil's physical geography is split into three main regions: the Amazon rainforest, the Cerrado and the Brazilian highlands
  • Indigenous people are the first people who lived in the place and the generations of people who came after. The Kayapo are indigenous people who live in the Amazon rainforest. They clear small patches of rainforest for agriculture, but are also hunter-gatherers
  • Rio de Janeiro is one of the largest cities in the Brazilian highlands, Some of its population live in favelas (makeshift settlements), but there are also wealthy areas that are popular with tourists​
  • Lines of longitude are important for considering time zones (Y5)​
  • Lines of latitude are important for considering climate zones (Y5)​
  • Rainforest have particular features, and unique flora and fauna that have adapted to the habitat (Y4)​
  • History: People have lived in the Amazon rainforest for millions of years, and populations fell quickly when Spanish and Portuguese explorers brought diseases and forcibly took control of the lands (Y5)​

Disciplinary

  • Mathematics: Identify horizontal/vertical lines and pairs of perpendicular /parallel lines (Y3)​
  • Use and interpret 8 compass points (Y3 Aut)​
  • Identify country boundaries on a map (Y1 Spr)​
  • Political maps show human boundaries and features; physical maps show physical boundaries and features (Y3 Aut)​
  • Identify a range of political and physical boundaries (Y3 Sum)​

Using map types:

  • Simple maps (Google maps); Satellite images (Google Earth); infant atlas​
  • Photographs of places in plan/oblique view​

Using map types:

  • Junior atlas​

Using map types:

  • Thematic maps​

VCs

  • Location & place: Seven continents, five oceans; Equator, North Pole and South Pole (Y1)​
  • Location & place: Locating countries in South America​
  • Location & place: Physical and human features of Brazil​
  • Location & place: Lines of longitude and latitude​
  • Location & place: Climate, time zones and biomes across the world (Y5)​

 

Year 4

Spring

 

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • The Congo Basin is a tropical rainforest, with habitats home to animals like gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, crocodiles, leopards, peafowl, frogs, lots of fish and spiders (N3-4 Sum2)​
  • Science: Trees are a type of plant that have a tall stem made of wood (Y1 Aut)​
  • Science: Habitats are the places that living things live. Animals and plants depend on each other in their habitats (Y2)​
  • Science: Animals, including humans, need water and oxygen to survive (Y2 Aut2)​
  • Science: Living things have adapted to their environment. This means they may not be able to survive in other habitats (Y2 Spr)​
  • The weather is short-term. Climate is long-term summary of the weather conditions. Precipitation is the fall of water (Y2 Spr)​
  • Science: Requirements for life vary from plant to plant and they are adapted to their environment (Y3 Spr)​
  • Science: Roots absorb nutrients from the soil and help anchor the plant (Y3 Spr)​
  • Lines of latitude run east to west (Equator, Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle) (Y3)​
  • The Amazon rainforest is located in Brazil​
  • Agriculture is the farming of plants (arable) and animals (pastoral) to eat (Y3)​
  • Rainforests are forests that are found in places with high temperatures and lots of precipitation
  • They are found between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, in the area known as the Tropics
  • Rainforests are found in five continents: Oceania (Australasian); Asia (Southeast Asian); Africa (Congo Basin); South America (Amazon) and North America (Central American)​
  • Rainforests are made of four main layers of different heights: the emergent, the canopy, the understory and the forest floor
  • Each layer of the rainforest has different types of plants and animals that live there​
  • symbiotic relationship is a long-term relationship between one or more species. Mutualism is where this both species in the relationship receive benefits​
  • Animals and plants have adapted to life in the rainforest (buttress rootslianasspider monkeytoucan, and fire ants)​
  • Rainforests provide the Earth with many benefits, including releasing lots of oxygen, having plants that can be used to make medicine, and they are the only home to lots of species
  • Chopping down trees is called deforestation
  • Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest is making way for agriculturemining and logging
  • At a global level, some countries at COP26 promised to end deforestation by 2030. At a local level, there are things we can do to reduce deforestation.​
  • Tropical rainforests are one type of biome; there are several others in the world (Y5)​
  • Flora and fauna have adapted to hot deserts, tundra, temperate forests and coral reefs (Y5)​
  • Science: Adaptations can be behavioural, physiological or structural (Y6)​
  • Science: Adaptations that provide an organism with an advantage are more likely survive and reproduce. This is how species evolve (Y6)​
  • Deforestation has serious effects: it increases the likelihood of flooding and contributes to global warming (Y5)​

Disciplinary

  • Mathematics: Measure length and height (mm/cm/m) (Y3)​
  • Draw routes around school on squared paper using 1 square : 1 pace (Y2 Aut)​

Using maps:

  • Simple maps (Google maps)
  • Satellite images (Google Earth)
  • Photographs of places in oblique and plan views
  • Globe
  • Draw an object to scale​
  • Recognise that people have differing opinions about environmental issues​
  • Calculate distances on a map using scale of 1 unit : 1, 2, 4, 5 or 10 units (Y5)​
  • Draw a basic map using scale of 1 unit : 1, 2, 4, 5 or 10 units (Y6)​
  • Express opinions about environmental issues with reasons (Y5)​

VCs

  • Geographical scale: The effects of physical features can be felt at the local, national and global scale (Y3)​
  • Interconnections: Human features are often shaped by physical features (Y2)​
  • Interconnections: Human activity can affect physical features (e.g. deforestation of Amazon)​
  • Geographical scale: Actions at the local or national scale can have a huge impact on the global scale​
  • Interconnections: Many places at the local, national and even global scale rely on trading with other places across world (Y5)​

 

Summer

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • The Earth is made of four main layers: the inner core (solid), the outer core (liquid), the mantle (semi-liquid) and the crust (solid) (Y3 Spr)​
  • The upper part of the mantle and the crust combine to make the lithosphere (Y3 Spr)​
  • The lithosphere is split into pieces called tectonic plates. Because the mantle is semi-liquid, these big plates move around each other (Y3 Spr)​
  • Tectonic plates can be oceanic or continental (Y3 Spr)​
  • Tectonic plates meet at a plate boundary (Y3 Spr)​
  • We can categorise effects into social, economic and environmental (Y3 Sum)​
  • An earthquake is the sudden shaking of the Earth's surface. They are caused by movements of the tectonic plates. Minor earthquakes can occur anywhere; major earthquakes usually occur at plate boundaries
  • Earthquakes usually occur at boundaries where the plates are sliding past each other, or where an oceanic plate is being forced under the continental plate (where some volcanoes are formed)​
  • The focus is the point inside the lithosphere where the earthquake came from; the epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface above​
  • The size of an earthquake is measured on the Richter scale, which  goes from 1-10. Those measuring 7 or higher cause major damage​
  • Countries in the world can be classified as low- medium- or high-income countries (LIC, MIC, HICs). They appear in all continents​
  • Humans can minimise the effects of earthquakes with earthquake-proof buildings, evacuations and having earthquake survival kits​
  • Haiti is a LIC in North America that experienced an earthquake in 2010. Tohoku is in Japan, a HIC in Asia, and it experienced an earthquake and tsunami in 2011​
  • Primary effects are those that happen immediately that are the direct result; secondary effects are a result of primary effects​
  • The responses to earthquakes in HICs and LICs differ​
  • Forced migration occurs when people can no longer live safely in their home (Y6)​
  • Natural disasters in KS3​

Disciplinary

  • (Mathematics: Numbers written as decimals correct to one decimal place Y4-5 – optional, Richter scale)​
  • Mathematics: Coordinates in the first quadrant (Y4)​
  • Identify similarities and differences  between two non-local places (Y2 Spr)​
  • Explain similarities and differences, using geographical knowledge (Y3 Spr)​

Using maps:

  • Simple maps (Google maps)​
  • Photographs of places in oblique and plan views​
  • Globe​
  • Locate places and features using letter and number coordinates on a map​

  • Interpret and locate places and features using 4-figure grid reference (Y5)​

VCs

  • Geographical scale: The effects of physical features can be felt at the local, national and global scale (Y3)​
  • Interconnections: Human features are often shaped by physical features (Y2)​
  • Location & place: Location and effects of earthquakes in Haiti/Japan​
  • Geographical scale: While physical effects are felt most at the local or national scale, the response can be at the global scale​
  • Interconnections: Humans adapt to living in earthquake-prone areas​
  • Interconnections: There are similarities and differences between LICs, MICs and HICs​
  • Location & place: Locating countries in North America (Y5)​
  • Geographical scale: Actions at the local or national scale can have a huge impact on the global scale, particularly on the Earth’s climate (Y6)​

 

Year 5

Autumn

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • While the school and community are at the local scale, and countries are at the national scale, continents are at the global scale (Y1 Sum)​
  • The weather is short-term. Climate is long-term summary of the weather conditions (Y2 Spr)​
  • Humans use seas and oceans for economic and leisure uses (Y2 Sum)​
  • Science: A fossil is physical evidence of an ancient plant or animal (Y3 Aut)​
  • Agriculture is the farming of plants (arable) and animals (pastoral) to eat (Y3 Aut)​
  • Countries in the world can be classified as low, medium or high-income countries (LIC, MIC, HIC) (Y4 Sum)​
  • Natural resources are substances that occur naturally in the environment, like woodfoodwater and fossil fuels. ​
  • Fossil fuels are materials made from fossils over millions of years, like coal and oil. Humans use these to run cars and electrical items​
  • Natural resources are unevenly distributed across the world, and can be renewable or non-renewable​
  • North America is made up of 23 countries, across Northern AmericaCentral America and the Caribbean. It is surrounded by the Arctic, Atlantic; Pacific.​
  • There are five regions of North America: Mountainous WestGreat PlainCanadian ShieldEastern Region and Caribbean
  • Trade is the process of buying and selling goods. Imports are goods that are brought into the country. Exports are goods that are traded out of the country​
  • UK imports food from across the world. ​
  • There have been changes in what is grown where, how it is farmed, how it is transported and how it is sold. Agriculture has moved from subsistence to commercial so that food can be traded​
  • Fair trade is a way of making sure that farmers are paid a fair price for the food they grow​
  • Burning fossil fuels is contributing to global warming and climate change (Y5 Sum)​
  • Distribution of the world’s water (Y5 Spr)​
  • Science: fossil fuels are a non-renewable energy store (Y6 Aut)​

Disciplinary

  • Mathematics: Coordinates in the first quadrant (Y4)​
  • Science: Design a table to collect data with the appropriate number of rows and columns and correct headings (Y3 Spr)​
  • Recognise simple hazards and plan steps we can take to reduce them (Y1 Aut)​
  • Give and interpret standard OS symbols (Y3 Aut)​
  • Locate places and features using letter and number coordinates on a map (Y4 Sum)​

Using maps:

  • Simple maps (Google maps); Satellite images (Google Earth); OS maps​
  • Locate places using 4-figure grid references​
  • Express opinions about environmental issues with reasons​
  • Locate places using 6-figure grid references (Y6)​
  • Locate places using longitude and latitude coordinates (Y6)​

VCs

  • Geographical scale: Our community is at the local scale, our country is at the national scale, continents are at the global scale (Y1)​
  • Interconnections: Human features are shaped by physical features (Y2)​
  • Location & place: Locating countries in North America​
  • Geographical scale: Trade takes place at the local, national and global scale; over time, trade has tended to become more and more global​
  • Interconnections: Many places at the local, national and global scale rely on trading with other places across the world​
  • Location & place: Human and physical features around the Mississippi River (Y5); migration from Northern Triangle to USA (Y6)​
  • Geographical scale: Actions at the local or national scale can have a huge impact on the global scale, particularly on the Earth’s climate (Y6)​

 

 

 

Spring

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • Key human and physical features (Y1-4)​
  • Rivers, lakes, seas and oceans are all bodies of water. Rivers flow into lakes and seas; seas connect to oceans. (Y2 Sum)​
  • Rivers travel from highland areas (the source) to lowland areas (the mouth) (Y2 Sum)​
  • Land use is how land is used by humans, and csn include economic, leisure, or settlements. (Y2 Sum)​
  • Humans use seas and oceans for economic and leisure uses (Y2 Sum)​
  • It is important to protect our rivers, seas, and oceans, and there is a range of ways that we can take action (Y2 Sum)​
  • Tourism is the business of supporting and encouraging people to visit a place for fun (Y3 Sum)​
  • Science: The water cycle relies on evaporation and condensation. Water is collected in the oceans from rivers and seas; it evaporates and then condenses to form clouds; it then precipitates and the cycle begins again (Y4 Spr)​
  • Science: When a solute dissolves in a solvent, a solution is formed. A solution is a mixture (Y5 Aut)​
  • The amount of water on Earth is constant. Most is saltwater stored in oceans, and most freshwater is stored as ice or underground​
  • Water cycle: Evaporation from the air, and transpiration from trees means that water vapour rises into the air. It condenses to form clouds and precipitation occurs when the clouds get heavy. Surface runoff is the flow of water overground; throughflow is the flow of water underground​
  • The upper course of a river is in high, mountainous ground and the river is narrow and fast-flowing; the lower course of a river is in low, flat ground and the river is wide and slow-flowing; the middle course is between the two​
  • Location of Mississippi, Amazon, Nile, Danube, Severn, Yangtze and Murray rivers​
  • Waterfalls are formed in the upper course of the river when water gradually erodes soft rock and are found all over the world​
  • Meanders are bends in the river that form in the middle and lower courses​
  • Floodplains are flat land either side of a river, on which the river deposits nutrients when it floods. They are formed in the lower course of the river​
  • Land use is how humans use land, and includes agriculture, recreation (including tourism), housing, industry and forestry​
  • Land use is different around the lower, middle and upper courses of a river​
  • Carrying out fieldwork around a river (Y6)​
  • Formation of other river features (KS3)​

Disciplinary

  • Mathematics: Read scales/ number lines marked in multiples of 100 with 2, 4, 5 and 10 equal parts (Y3); Convert between units of measure, including m to km (Y4); Recognise % and know it means parts per 100 (Y5)​
  • Explain similarities and differences, using geographical knowledge (Y3 Spr)​
  • Interpretation: Political maps show human boundaries and features; physical maps show physical boundaries and features (Y3 Aut)​

Using maps:

  • Satellite images (Google Earth)​
  • Photographs of places in oblique /plan views​
  • OS maps​
  • Junior atlas​
  • Calculate distances on a map using scale (1 unit : 1, 2, 4, 5 or 10 units)​
  • Draw a basic map using scale of 1 unit : 1, 2, 4, 5 or 10 units (Y6)​

VCs

  • Location & place: Locating countries in Europe (Y3), North America (Y5) and South America (Y4)​
  • Location & place: Rivers of the UK (Y3)​
  • Location & place: Human and physical features around a local river and Danube, Mississippi and Severn rivers​
  • Location & place: Distribution of the world’s water​
  • Location & place: Building locational knowledge of Asia and Africa (KS3)​

 

Summer

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • The Serengeti is a grassland, with habitats home to animals like zebras, lions, giraffes, hippos, vultures, snakes, toads and scorpions (N3-4 Sum2)​
  • The Congo Basin is a tropical rainforest, with habitats home to animals like gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, crocodiles, leopards, peafowl, frogs, lots of fish and spiders (N3-4 Sum2)​
  • Science: Daytime happens when we are facing the sun; nighttime happens we are facing away from the sun (Y1)​
  • The North Pole and the South Pole are at the top and bottom of the Earth (Y1 Spr)​
  • Science: Animals and plants have adapted to life in a hot desert: camels and cacti (Y2 Spr)​
  • Science: Animals and plants have adapted to life in a cold desert: Arctic fox and shrubs (Y2 Spr)​
  • The weather is short-term. Climate is long-term summary of the weather conditions (Y2)​
  • Hot deserts have a very hot and dry climate; cold deserts have a very cold and dry climate (Y2 Spr)​
  • Lines of longitude and latitude are imaginary lines that help us locate places on Earth: Equator, Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle; Prime Meridian; Northern and Southern and Eastern and Western Hemispheres (Y3 Sum)​
  • A symbiotic relationship is a long-term relationship between one or more species. Mutualism is where this both species in the relationship receive benefits (Y4 Spr)​
  • Fossil fuels are materials made from fossils of organisms over millions of years, like coal and oil (Y5)​
  • Rainforests provide the Earth with many benefits, including releasing lots of oxygen, having plants that can be used to make medicine, and they are the only home to lots of species. Chopping down trees is called deforestation (Y4 Spr)​
  • Vertical lines called meridians split the Earth is split into 24 different time zones. Each time zone is a number of hours ahead or behind London, at the Prime Meridian. Some countries are too large for one zone and operate in multiple time zones​
  • Climate zones share long-term weather patterns. Six main ones: polartemperatearidtropicalMediterranean and mountains
  • Climate zones are usually found in more than one continent; and continents of Europe, North America and South America have several climate zones Some climate zones (e.g. temperate) usually have a much higher population density than others​
  • Biomes are areas of the world that, because of similar climates, have similar landscapes, animals (fauna) and plants (flora or vegetation belt): tundratropical rainforestscoral reefstemperate forests and hot deserts
  • Flora and fauna that have adapted to life in the tundra (Arctic hare, polar bear) hot desert (cactus, camel, Saharan silver ant, cape ground squirrel) temperate forest (deciduous and coniferous trees with thick bark, red squirrels, hedgehogs, and southern wood ants) coral reefs (soft coral, pistol shrimp & goby fish, octopus & grouper)​
  • Global warming relates to an increase in Earth's temperature only; it causes climate change which relates to a broader set of changes. Global warming and climate change both happen naturally but both have been accelerated by human activity
  • Global warming is caused by too many greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from burning fossil fuelsagriculturedeforestation We can prevent further climate change by using less electricity, reforestation and afforestation, and by using less and recycling more. If humans do not act now, global warming and climate change will continue and have major impacts. ​
  • In addition to global warming, plastic waste and pollution are damaging habitats across the world (Y6 Aut)​
  • Science: Adaptations can be behavioural, physiological or structural (Y6 Aut)​
  • Science: Adaptations that provide an organism with an advantage are more likely survive and reproduce. This is how species evolve (Y6 Aut)​
  • Science: The Earth’s tilt creates seasons, and different day lengths and different times of the year (KS3)​

 

 

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Disciplinary

  • Mathematics: Number of mins in an hour;  hours in a day (Y2); Interpret and construct bar graphs (Y3) and line graphs (Y4) ​
  • World maps can be drawn from different perspectives, including the Pacific-centred map (Y3)​
  • Use an atlas to find the right map (Y1 Sum)​
  • Explain similarities and differences, using geographical knowledge (Y3 Spr)​
  • Express opinions about environmental issues with reasons (Y5)​

Using maps:

  • Satellite images (Google Earth); range of photographs​
  • Junior atlas​
  • Globe​
  • The Mercator projection is what is commonly use but distorts continents to make European countries look larger. Peters projection shows continents on a more accurate scale​
  • Interpret and construct climate graphs​

Using maps:

  • Thematic maps (showing climate zones and population density)​
  • Using a wider range of thematic maps (KS3)​
  • Recognise other map projections (KS3)​

VCs

  • Location & place: 7 continents, 5 oceans Location & place: Longitude/latitude​
  • Location & place: Locating climate zones and biomes across the world; time zones​
  • Location & place: Building locational knowledge of Asia and Africa (KS3)​

 

 

 

 

Year 6

Autumn

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • There are five oceans in the world. These are different to seas (Y2 Sum)​
  • It is important to protect our rivers, seas, and oceans, and there is a range of ways that we can take action (Y2 Sum)​
  • Science: Fossil fuels, batteries and the Sun are all examples of chemical energy stores (Y5 Aut)​
  • Fossil fuels are materials made from fossils of organisms over millions of years, like coal and oil (Y5 Aut)​
  • Global warming relates to an increase in Earth's temperature only; it causes climate change which relates to a broader set of changes. Global warming and climate change both happen naturally but both have been accelerated by human activity (Y5 Sum)​
  • We can prevent further climate change by using less electricity, reforestation and afforestation, and by using less and recycling more. If humans do not act now, global warming and climate change will continue and have major impacts (Y5 Sum)​
  • Science: A non-renewable energy source is one where we have a fixed amount of the source, and where it would take too long for more to be formed. Burning fossil fuels to transfer electrical energy is an example of a non-renewable energy source (Y6 Aut)​
  • Science: Renewable energy sources quickly refill replenish themselves, meaning that we can use them again and again/Wind, solar, geothermal and hydrological power are all examples of renewable energy sources​
  • Science: Power stations can use both renewable and non-renewable sources of energy​
  • Some locations are better suited to some renewable energy sources than others, based on their physical and climate features​
  • Plastics take hundreds of years to break down. They can kill organisms directly or indirectly by destroying habitats
  • Plastic waste is created across the world, and often ends up in oceans​
  • The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is an area of plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean, three times the size of Spain and Portugal combined​
  • Plastic pollution can be reduced by using less single-use plastic (e.g. plastic bags, straws) and recycling more plastic​
  • Sustainable cities limit damage to their environment​
  • Sustainable cities are found across the world including: Beddington (UK, Europe); Curitiba (Brazil, South America); Dongtan City (China; Asia); Melbourne (Australia, Oceania); Vancouver (Canada, North America); and Cape Town (South Africa, Africa)​
  • Carrying out fieldwork (Y6)​
  • The Earth’s changing climate from the Ice Age to now (KS3)​

Disciplinary

  • Mathematics: Coordinates in the first quadrant (Y4)​
  • Location: Locate places and features using 4-figure grid references (Y5 Aut)​
  • Express opinions about environmental issues with reasons (Y5 Aut)​

Using maps:

  • Simple (Google maps) map; satellite image (Google Earth); junior atlas; globe; photographs of places in plan and oblique view; OS maps; thematic maps​
  • Locate places on a world map using longitude and latitude​
  • Evaluate responses to environmental issues​
  • Use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to view, analyse and interpret places and data (KS3) ​

VCs

  • Geographical scale: While physical effects are felt most predominantly at the local or national scale, the response can be at the global scale (Y4)​
  • Geographical scale: Actions at the local or national scale can have a huge impact on the global scale, particularly on the Earth’s climate​
  • Geographical scale: Use scales more mathematically, measuring and carefully calculating distances (KS3)​

 

Spring

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Substantive

  • There are poorer and wealthier areas in every county and city (Y1 Sum)​
  • Science: Animals, including humans, need oxygen, food, water and the right temperature to survive (Y2 Sci)​
  • Europe is made up of 50 countries (Y3 Sum)​
  • We can categorise effects into social, economic and environmental (Y3 Sum)​
  • Countries in the world can be classified as low-, middle- or high-income countries. HICs, MICs and LICs appear in all continents (Y4 Sum)​
  • North America is made up of 23 countries, across Northern America, Central America and the Caribbean (Y5 Aut)​
  • Maslow's hierarchy of needs show what humans need to survive and thrive​
  • Migration is the process of moving from one place to another. It does not have to be between countries, but where it is it is called immigration (in) or emigration (out)​
  • People migrate because of push and pull factors
  • Voluntary migration usually happens because of economic or social factors.​
  • Expectations of migration are not always met in reality.​
  • European case study: Poland to UK 2004-today​
  • North American case study: Mexico to USA ​
  • Forced migration happens as a result of life-threatening events, such as conflict or physical disasters​
  • Asylum seekers are people who are forced to leave their country. They apply for asylum and, if it is accepted, they are granted refugee status​
  • Refugees are given international protections and support in settling in a different country​
  • Asian/European case study: Syria to countries in Europe​
  • Many people migrate to and from our local area, which impacts our community.​
  • Further case studies of migration, exploring push and pull factors in more depth (KS3)​
  • History: Vikings were migrants who moved because of push and pull factors (Y6 Spr)​
  • History: The Windrush generation are people who arrived from Commonwealth countries 1948-71. Many were victims of racial discrimination​

Disciplinary

  • Identify country boundaries on a map (Y1 Spr)​
  • Identify similarities and differences  between two non-local places (Y2 Spr)​
  • Explain similarities and differences, using geographical knowledge (Y3 Spr)​
  • Interpretation: Express opinions about environmental issues with reasons (Y5 Aut)​

Using maps:

  • Simple (Google maps) map; satellite image (Google Earth); junior atlas; globe; photographs of places in plan and oblique view; OS maps; thematic maps​

VCs

  • Interconnections: There are similarities and differences between HICs, MICs and LICs (Y4)​
  • Location & place: Europe (Y3) and North America (Y2)​
  • Location & place: Migration from Syria to countries in Europe; and Northern Triangle to USA ​
  • Interconnections: Migration is usually the result of a related set of push and pull factors  
  • Location & place: Pupils build locational and place knowledge in KS3 by revisiting Europe, North America and South America, and expanding this to Asia and Africa (KS3)​

 

Summer

Required prior knowledge​

Knowledge to be explicitly taught​

How knowledge will be built upon​

Disciplinary

  • Recognise simple hazards and plan steps we can take to reduce them (Y1 Aut)​
  • Draw a basic fieldsketch of what can be seen (Y1 Aut)​
  • Draw an object to scale (Y4 Sum)​
  • Use and interpret 8 compass points (Y3 Aut)​
  • Locate places and features using 4-figure grid references (Y4 Sum)​
  • Locate places on a world map using longitude and latitude (Y5 Aut)​
  • Give and interpret standard OS symbols (Y3 Aut)​

Science:

  • A&P: There are four main stages of enquiry: Planning;  Measuring & Observing; Recording & Presenting; Analysing & Evaluating (Y2 Spr)​
  • A&P: Scientists look for patterns in data to try to identify correlations (Y5 Spr)​
  • A&P: Set a hypothesis to test (Y2 Aut)​
  • A&P: Select most appropriate equipment to measure (the variables) that will give you the best chance of an accurate result (Y3 Spr)​
  • A&P: A dependent variable is what you measure; an independent variable is what you change; controlled variables are things that stay the same (Y3 Aut)​
  • A&P: Scientists must work out if the factor is the cause of the outcome in a correlation (Y5 Sum)​
  • A&P: Write an appropriate method (Y3 Aut)​
  • A&P: Draw diagram of the investigation (Y4 Sum)​
  • M&O: Anomalous results should be discarded and rerecorded  (Y3 Sum)​
  • M&O: Data is repeatable if the same person repeats the investigation and gets the same results; data is reproducible if the investigation is repeated by a different person and the results are the same (Y3 Sum)​
  • M&O: Taking multiple readings allows you to see if your data is repeatable, helps identify outliers and allows a mean to be calculated (Y6 Sum)​
  • R&P: Design a table to collect data with the appropriate number of rows and columns and correct headings (Y3 Spr)​
  • R&P: Record numerical or descriptive observations in a table (Y1 Aut)​
  • R&P: Decide which graph is most appropriate for the enquiry (Y6 Aut)​
  • A&E: Draw conclusions (e.g. 'the greater the… , the greater the…’) (Y3 Sum)​
  • A&E: Suggest ways to improve practical procedures to obtain more accurate measurements (Y3 Sum)
  • A&E: Ask further questions that could be explored to extend findings (Y2 Spr)​

Using maps:

  • Simple (Google maps) map; satellite image (Google Earth); junior atlas; globe; photographs of places in plan and oblique view; OS maps; thematic maps​
  • Draw a basic map to scale (1 unit : 1, 2, 4, 5 or 10 units)​
  • Create questionnaires and surveys​
  • Locate places and features using 6-figure grid references​
  • Produce a detailed risk assessment ​

KS3:

  • Plan and undertake complete investigations undertaken in contrasting locations​
  • Carry out fieldwork independently from the teacher​
  • Calculate distances on a map using a range of scales​
  • Recognise and select the most appropriate projection​
  • Draw accurate maps using a range of scales​
  • Use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to view, analyse and interpret places and data​
  • Interpret contours as a representation of height​