Intent
At Otford Primary School we aim to instil in our pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world around them. Pupils will investigate and make enquiries about their local area so that they can develop a real sense of who they are and where they come from. We want them to have knowledge of not only Otford and of the UK, but also to have a wider picture of the world as a whole, the similarities and differences in people and places; and to consider their part within it as a valuable world citizen with a responsibility to look after our planet and its peoples.

Implementation
Geography is taught in blocks on a termly topic basis, with many cross-curricular links. For example, connections might be made with history, science or maths e.g.: heritage of local area, rivers/water cycle, map coordinates. Map work skills will be intertwined, advanced and revisited as the children move up the school. Knowledge of the UK and the World will be developed as children progress through the school from YR to Y6. Children will study their local area, the wider UK plus European and non-European countries of the wider world throughout their time at Otford Primary. Children will gain confidence and practical experiences of geographical knowledge and understanding, not just through experiences in the classroom, but also with the use of fieldwork and educational visits, to explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time. In addition, children will develop fundamental geographical skills: collecting and analysing data; using maps, globes, atlases and aerial photographs to name and identify countries, continents and oceans; and communicating information in a variety of ways. Planning will always focus on the combination of skills, knowledge and vocabulary.

Impact
The development of children’s geographical skills and knowledge will be evaluated at the end of each learning journey against Key Performance Indicators in locational knowledge, place knowledge, human and physical geography and geographical skills and fieldwork.