RAVENSCOTE JUNIOR SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY. Headteacher

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1 Page 1 of 10 RAVENSCOTE JUNIOR SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY 2015 Date of Approval Date of Review Signed Mr D Harris Signed Mrs J. Brill Headteacher Chair of Governors

2 Page 2 of 10 Ravenscote Junior School Geography Policy 1. Statement on the School and Geography Ravenscote is a large junior school with a five form entry. It is situated in a pleasant, suburban area and has extensive grounds. The school is organised into twenty mixed ability classes in four year groups (Year 3-6). Staff in each year group plan all areas of the curriculum together, so that all pupils have access to equal learning opportunities. Geography thinking and learning provides a vital basis for everyday life. It helps pupils to understand change, conflict and the key issues which impact on their lives. Geography has a key role in preparing pupils to face their responsibilities in our rapidly changing world. The location of their homes, their journeys to school and where their food comes from amongst many other aspects of their everyday lives contribute to their geographical knowledge. Geography is taught as a discrete subject, and links are made to other subjects where possible. For example, when looking at Stories from other cultures locating where these countries are as well as looking at Rainforests in Literacy writing persuasive letters about the impact humans have on the environment. 2. Aims 1. To help pupils develop a strong interest in their own surroundings and in the world in general and their place within it. 2. To develop and use map reading and orienteering skills. 3. To raise and answer questions. 4. To appreciate the variety of physical and human conditions on the earth s surface. 5. To develop and use their geographical knowledge and to be able to locate areas across the World. 6. To allow pupils to acquire information from secondary sources as well as first hand observation, and develop skills that enable them to interpret and make sense of the knowledge they gain and recognise patterns. 7. To allow pupils to investigate some aspects of the local and more distant physical and human environments. 3. National Curriculum Requirements The aim of the new National Curriculum 2014 emphasises the need to inspire children to learn about the World around them. During Key stage 2, pupils investigate a variety of people, places and environments at different scales in the UK and abroad, and start to make links between places in the world. They find out how people are affected by places and their environments and how humans contribute to their environment. Children should also be encouraged to use their numeracy and quantitative skills when reading maps and their different scales. As they progress with their Geographical knowledge and skills, the aim is to deepen children s understanding of the interaction between the physical and human world.

3 Page 3 of 10 Geographical Skills Pupils should be taught to:- Use globes and maps Make maps and plans Locate and name places around the world Identify the relationship between the human and phsycial world Use numerical skills to read different maps Use geographical vocabulary Express their views Ask appropriate questions Observe and record Communicate their findings Carry out fieldwork Use ICT to enhance their work Understand Geography in current events 4. Geography at Ravenscote Geography is found in all four year groups. Each class within the year group will follow units of study as outlined in the Key Stage Plan. The curriculum team member within each year group will plan the study units with the help of guidelines from the Geography Subject Leader. Planning will take account of cross curricular links where appropriate. 5. Year Group Geography Units Period of Study 3 Local Area and Settlements Autumn Term Weather Around the World Summer Term 4 The Environment Spring Term 5 Rivers Spring Term The Local Area (alongside History) Summer Term 6 Places Around the World Summer Term 6. Assessment Organisation Reporting to parents will occur at each parents evening and at the end of each school year as part of the Annual Report. Through assessing pupil s books, class teachers will comment on pupils work, communicating achievements and progress in as positive and constructive way as possible. Prior learning should be assessed at the start of each unit of work. This can be done through a spider diagram or concept map. At the end of the unit of work, pupils can return to this initial diagram and add in learnt concepts in a different colour. This year will also see the development of self assessment in geography and looking at consistency in marking throughout the school. 7. Monitoring It is the responsibility of the Geography Subject Leader to monitor the work being carried out in each year group (as stated in the Assessment Policy). This will occur by: a) checking the medium term plans of each year group

4 Page 4 of 10 b) sampling books on a regular basis c) looking at work on display d) meeting with year leaders to discuss the outcome of monitoring e) talking to children about their work f) observing lessons and offering advice and support (when necessary or sought) g) meeting with curriculum team members to discuss both year group and whole school issues 8. Teaching and Learning The principles for teaching and learning are laid out in the Ravenscote Teaching and Learning Policy Document. The following points are more specifically linked to Geography. Geography is taught in a mixed ability class setting. Work is carried out as a class, in small groups or individually. Pupils work is completed in their humanities book, for which guidelines have been produced for each year group. A more creative approach to work will develop throughout the year groups. Geographical enquiry should form a large part of the pupil s geographical experience at Ravenscote. Children learn best when they experience something at first hand so we shall seek to develop their skills to enable them to carry out geographical investigations. They will begin with their homes and familiar surroundings, enlarging the areas of study to global ones as they progress through the school. Fieldwork is an essential element in the teaching and learning of Geography. Each year team should ask the following questions before taking children outside the classroom: 1. What do we hope to achieve? 2. Will the children gain anything by taking them outside the classroom? 3. Have we planned everything thoroughly? When fieldwork has been completed, then an evaluation of it should be made. A decision should be made about the success of the activity, and if it is to be repeated in the future, whether any improvements need to be made. Places should be investigated by using the following Key Questions: - Where is this place? - What is this place like? - Why is it like this? - How is it changing? - How is it connected to other places? - How is it similar to/different from my own home village/town/settlement? - What is it like to live in this place? - What would it feel like to be in this place?

5 Page 5 of ICT and Geography There are many opportunities to further the pupils geographical and I.C.T. skills and increase geographical knowledge with the use of I.C.T. Wherever possible, pupils will be given the opportunity to use computers to aid their geographical studies. These will be to: a) word process information b) use spreadsheets and databases to store, process and retrieve information that pupils have gained during an investigation. c) use the internet to search for information. d) use Espresso in order to look at current events in Geography helping to relate their learning to real life situations. e) use Google Earth and Google Maps to look at photographic, up to date images of the World around them. 10. Progression Pupils will increase their knowledge and skills as they progress through the key stage. This will be brought about by planning and careful monitoring of the work that the children do so that they do not become bored by repetition. We aim to build on the knowledge and skills the pupils gained during the first key stage and to provide a firm basis on which to building Key Stage Differentiation Differentiation in Geography will follow the basic principles outlined in the School s Teaching and Learning Policy. Differentiation may be achieved by: a) Task the nature of the open-ended questions the children will be expected to address, or the tasks themselves. b) Support given by the teacher Pupils will be given opportunities to make their own maps and to interpret maps of all sorts and of different scales. Pupils will be expected to share more fully in planning the work that they will be doing as they move through the key stage. 12. Special Needs Geography teaching will follow the guidance outlined in the Ravenscote Special Educational Needs Policy and the Teaching and Learning Policy. Pupils who may experience difficulties will:

6 Page 6 of Receive support to access texts. 2. Be given help in tasks which require extended writing to communicate their detailed ideas through alternative communication methods e.g. use of ICT or speech. This will ensure pupils demonstrate their understanding and maintain concentration and motivation. 3. Use a variety of means to access sources of information when undertaking historical enquiry. It is the responsibility of the class teacher to provide work at a suitable level and to give extra input by way of oral and written guidance. Teachers will expect outcomes to differ according to ability. Higher achieving pupils are encouraged to extend their knowledge and skills. These include interpreting the reasons for and the results of geographical enquiry, selecting, combining and evaluating information from a variety of sources and organising this information to produce structured work. These methods should be adopted for higher achieving and gifted and talented pupils. 13. Equal Opportunities All pupils will be given access to the Geography programme of study, with no distinction being made on the basis of gender or ethnicity. 14. Resources These are available for all year groups to use, accessed in year group areas or by request to the Geography subject leader. Maps 15 Local area maps with the school at the centre World wipe-clean plastic map Europe wipe-clean plastic map Large inflatable globe x 5 Discover Maps set Master Maps set O.S. 1:50000 Map sheet ½ set O.S. 1:25000 Map sheet SU ½ set O.S. 1: sheets showing school and immediate surrounding area O.S. Landranger sheet 175 Basingstoke 5 copies O.S. Landranger sheet 186 Guildford and Woking 5 copies O.S. Landranger sheet 198 Brighton 5 copies O.S. Landranger sheet 197 Portsmouth 5 copies 1 meter to measure noise 20 directional compasses There are some old O.S. 1:50000 sheets covering most of England. Although they are out of date they give an idea of the features that can be found in any particular area. Every class should have access to a world map.

7 Page 7 of 10 Year 3 World wall map for each class Europe wall map British Isles wall map Plastic British Isles map Giant atlas Philip s Junior Atlas (set of 29) Ginn Year 3 Group Discussion Book Ginn Year 3 Teacher Resource Book Ginn children s book Weather (16) Ginn children s book Our School (34) Eyewitness Explorer Guide to Weather set of 24 Oxford Primary Geography (15) globe (3) The Seasons Autumn, Spring, Summer, Winter - 1 of each title per class thermometers x 5 rain gauge x 5 anemometer x 5 OS flashcards OS symbols posters x 2 magnetic UK map & weather symbols weather pack Videos Geography Start Here 2 programmes Village and Town Village Show Zig Zag, 3 Programmes Getting Around, Let s Go Shopping, Food and Farming Landmarks The Superstore Zig Zag, Tales from Europe Britain, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Finland BBC Maps and Mapping Making a Simple Map, Co-ordinates Big Book CD Rom + pack on weather

8 Page 8 of 10 Year 4 World wall map Europe wall map British Isles wall map Plastic British Isles map 15 x mini globes 5 x large World wall map Renewable energy equipement 10 directional compasses globe in each class Collins Longman U.K. atlases set Collins Longman World atlases set Mapstart 2 O.S. map sheet 195 Landranger 16 O.S. map sheet, Ringwood Area, Pathfinder 10 O.S. New Forest Leisure map 10 O.S. map Ringwood 1: Oxford Primary Geography Book 1 ¾ set 1 Young Geographer Series Settlements book in each class Photoair Settlement Pack Village pack Godstone Aerial photographs Environmental changes 30 Environment poster pack Videos Environmental Changes Landmarks Portrait of Britain CD Rom of glass recycling

9 Page 9 of 10 Year 5 World wall map Europe wall map British Isles wall map Plastic British Isles map Discover maps 50 Keystart world atlas class set Oxford Practical Atlas 20 Collins Longman U.K. Atlas 20 Ginn children s book Water and the Land ¾ set Ginn children s book Using the Land ¾ set Ginn children s book People and Climate ¾ set Young Geographer Investigates Rivers set The Wonderful World of Water ¾ set Mapstart 3 ¾ set Folens Rivers pack 1 in each class World s Rivers Amazon, Danube, Ganges, Rhine, Seine, St Lawrence, Yellow River, Nile, Thames 1 of each title in each class. Young Geographer Series The World s Weather 1 book in each class Water & Land - set BBC Landmarks Teacher s Notes and 1 Resource Pack Ginn European Locality Pack France 1 in each class return to central resources Aerial Photographs of Rivers Thames, Severn and Trent River & water pack Videos Landmarks The River Severn Hawke s Eye The River, The Watercycle, River flight, Living Water, Environments Geography Junction River Rhine Landmarks People and the Elements, When the Wind Blows, The Sea at Work, Flood, Drought, Using the Elements CD Roms Rivers, London s Thames

10 Page 10 of 10 Year 6 Inflatable globe Solid globe World wall map Europe wall map British Isles wall map Plastic British Isles map 5 new inflatable globes Philips Atlas ½ set Oxford Atlas ½ set O.S. Mapstart ½ set Ginn Children s book Settlement set Ginn children s book - Environment set Earth, the Incredible Recycling Machine 1 in each class Inflatable globes The Mountain Book + CD Roms Geography Association St Lucia Pack 1 in each class O.S. map sheet 5 in each class Living in St Lucia 20 copies & teacher guide Pack of 7 satellite photographs Wayland Atlas of Rain Forests 1 copy Tropical Rain Forests of the World 1 copy WWF Environment Pack People & climate 20 copies The people of St Lucia 30 The landscape of St Lucia 30 Pollution and Conservation book 1 in each class Volcano Book 1 in each class Wall Posters Tropical Rainforests Wildlife in Danger British Wildlife in Danger The Greenhouse Effect The Ozone Layer Mountain posters Lessons of Castries Focus on Castries St Lucia Photograph pack St Lucia briefing notes Maps of Castries/St Lucia Videos National Geographic Born of Fire Global Environment Pollution and Conservation Video penpals: St Lucia Primary Geography Mountains & Coasts, Whose place?, St Lucia Programme on computer Atlas CD Rom