Geography
Welcome to our Geography page
Hello, I’m Mrs Rooney, the Geography Subject Leader, and I love helping children discover and understand the incredible world around them.
Geography has always been a passion of mine, especially caring for the environment. I have supported conservation projects with the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust, Essex Wildlife Trust and RSPB, helping to protect habitats and wildlife.
In our school, Geography is all about curiosity, discovery, and asking big questions about our planet. Children learn about different countries, cultures, climates, and landscapes, and begin to understand how people and places are connected. We explore important geographical ideas such as space, place, and scale, helping children see how their local area links to the wider world and how small actions can have a big impact.
Our lessons are enquiry-based, meaning children ask thoughtful questions, share ideas, use maps and atlases, take part in fieldwork, and think carefully about real-life issues. They develop important skills such as observation, discussion, teamwork, and critical thinking. We explore how humans interact with the environment and consider how our choices affect the future of our planet.
We encourage children to build strong connections with their local, national, and global environments. Through learning about climate, sustainability, and environmental responsibility, children begin to understand how they can help protect nature and create positive change.
Our aim is for every child to grow in confidence, use geographical vocabulary accurately, and develop learning for life about the world. Most importantly, we want children to feel proud to be responsible global citizens and to understand their role in caring for our planet now and in the future.
Intent – What we want for our children
At Perryfields Junior School, we want our children to be curious about the world and excited to learn about different people, places and environments.
In Geography, we aim to:
Inspire children to explore and ask questions about the world around them.
Build strong geographical knowledge and teach important vocabulary.
Help children understand their local area and compare it to other regions around the world.
Encourage thoughtful discussions about environmental issues and how we can care for our planet.
Give children opportunities to share their ideas and findings in different ways, such as maps, graphs, field sketches and presentations.
Make learning meaningful by linking it to real life and our local community.
Ensure all children are supported and challenged so that everyone can succeed.
Carefully build knowledge and skills over time so children are ready for future learning.
Implementation – How we teach Geography
We create a positive and supportive environment where all children feel confident that they can succeed in Geography.
Geography is taught every half term for 1.5 hours per week, building on previous learning.
Lessons follow a clear structure to help children deepen their understanding.
We encourage children to ask their own questions and take part in geographical enquiry.
Pupils use atlases, maps and digital tools such as Digimaps to develop their skills.
We provide opportunities for outdoor learning and fieldwork to explore our local area.
Key vocabulary and new concepts are taught clearly and revisited regularly.
Teachers use questioning and assessment to check understanding and support all learners.
Knowledge organisers help children remember key facts and share their learning at home.
Working walls show our learning journey, key vocabulary and how our thinking develops over time.
Impact – What this means for our children
As a result of our Geography curriculum:
Children develop a love of learning about the world.
They become confident in using geographical vocabulary and skills.
They can ask and answer thoughtful questions independently.
They understand how the natural world and human activity are connected.
They develop an awareness of global issues and their role within the wider world.
Most children achieve age-related expectations and are well prepared for Key Stage 3.
Ultimately, our children leave Perryfields as informed, responsible global citizens who value and care for the world around them.
