Key Stage 1 all the way through to Key Stage 4. This enables all of our students to acquire key knowledge and to develop a range of skills throughout their studies. It encourages them locate and recognise key features of local, national and international locations. There is a particular emphasis on consumerism, climate change, eco-systems and tectonic events and responses to conflict around the world.  Students are supported to consider the impact of actions on both the natural world and human populations across the world both in the past, present and future, enabling them to become active and more conscientious members of society. This curriculum is formed from guidance from within the National Curriculum. Additionally, Fundamental British Values are encompassed within the teaching and learning of Geography across the school.

In Lower School students focus on making observations about local places and their features in Key Stage 1, broadening to studying locations further afield through the use of observations, equipment and mapping by Key Stage 2. Students begin to use specialist equipment and a range of sources to make their own plausible conclusions about locations, features, environments, actions and consequences and begin to explore and make comparisons between population and economies around the world.

In Middle School, students build upon their prior knowledge and make more detailed comparisons between places around the world, in both terms of physical, human and environmental geography. Students begin to research topics to a greater depth whilst building new geographical key skills in mapping and locational knowledge. Knowledge and understanding of wealth around the world, contrasts between urban and rural locations, international development and GDP is taught throughout KS3 and encourages students to consider the impacts of geography around the world.

In Upper School, students may study Geography as part of their Key Stage 4 Humanities option. This forms part of the Humanities pathway that students will work towards in order to gain their qualifications. As part of these qualification pathways students are taught a range of topics, including: geographic effects of consumerism; causes, effects and the response to climate change; world conflicts. Additionally, students build upon their prior knowledge and to develop an understanding of responses to major tectonic events around the world. Students are supported with developing and demonstrating a wide range of enquiry-based skills, with a particular focus on the ethics of food production and the consumer.

In addition to the set curriculum, at Elms we encourage an awareness of geography and geographical issues through a number of key dates in the year. These include National Geography Awareness Week, World Meteorological Day, World Environment Day, and World Population Day. This forms part of our school’s efforts to address pupils’ Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural development. 

Updated 9th March 2021