Geography at Hallwood Park Primary School
At Hallwood Park Primary School, we believe that Geography helps pupils understand the world beyond their immediate community. In our context, this is essential in broadening horizons, developing cultural awareness and building knowledge of places, people and environments.
Through precise vocabulary, structured enquiry and fieldwork, pupils develop both geographical knowledge (places, environments and processes) and disciplinary skills (how geographers investigate the world). Pupils learn to ask questions, interpret data and explain patterns and relationships.
Early Years Foundation Stage
In EYFS, Geography is taught through Understanding the World. Pupils explore their home, school and local environment, learning to recognise simple features of places and how they are connected.
They begin to:
- talk about familiar places and environments
- recognise differences between places
- use simple positional language
- make observations and ask questions
Key Stage 1
In KS1, pupils build foundational geographical knowledge and skills.
They learn about:
- local and contrasting environments (e.g. city, countryside, coast)
- the wider world, including continents and oceans
- weather, seasons and environmental change
Pupils begin to:
- use maps, atlases and simple data
- ask and answer geographical questions
- carry out basic fieldwork
Key Stage 2
In KS2, Geography is taught through a carefully sequenced, knowledge-rich curriculum.
Pupils study topics such as rivers, mountains, climate, settlements and global regions, developing a deeper understanding of both physical and human geography.
They develop the ability to:
- interpret maps, data and geographical sources
- conduct fieldwork and present findings
- explain patterns, processes and relationships
- understand global issues such as climate change
Reading and Writing in Geography
Reading and writing are central to Geography. Pupils engage with high-quality texts, develop subject-specific vocabulary and produce written explanations and evaluations of geographical ideas.
Impact
Pupils leave Hallwood Park with a secure understanding of the world, the ability to think geographically and the knowledge needed to understand life beyond their local area.