Whitegate CE Primary School
Becoming Geographers
Psalm 95: 4-5
Geography at Whitegate CE Primary School
At Whitegate CE Primary School we aim to inspire in children to be curious and fascinated about God's world and its inhabitants. As we appreciate the natural beauty of the earth we are thankful to God for all that he has created. Our aim is, not only for the children to grow in knowledge, but also in wisdom as we learn to be more socially and environmentally sensitive, better informed, and more responsible as citizens; afterall, we are called to be good stewards of God's earth.
Our curriculum equips children with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, the formation and use of landscapes and environments, together with an understanding of the earth's physical and human processes and the interactions between these.
Geography enables our children to be aware of the knowledge, skills and cultural capital in order to have a broad and balanced view on the world.
The aims of teaching geography in our school are:
- To enable children to know about the location of the world’s continents, countries, cities, seas and oceans.
- To give a particular focus to the study of local geography to enable children to understand and appreciate their locality.
- To develop the skills of interpreting a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems.
- To help children understand how the human and physical features of a place can change over time.
- To enable children to progressively develop their geographical skills (including fieldwork) throughout their school journey.
Websites we recommend to explore:
Google Maps: https://www.google.com/mapsUK OS Maps: https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/National Geographic:
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/teacher-category/geography/Royal Geography Website: https://www.rgs.org/schools/teaching-resources/Geography Association: https://www.geography.org.uk/BBC Weather: https://www.bbc.co.uk/weatherKids First News Newspapers: https://www.firstnews.co.uk/
If you have any questions about our Geography curriculum, please contact Mrs Mackenzie (subject lead) on 
contact@whitegate.cheshire.sch.uk
Thank you
Our Geography year group curriculum overview:
| Autumn Term | Spring Term | Summer Term | |
| Acorns Reception |
I Wonder Why I am Special? I Wonder What Happens Next? Seasonal changes
|
I Wonder What's Out There? I Wonder How it Works? Focus on cold places e.g. The Arctic Seasonal changes Recognise some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries. Recognise that some enviroinments are different. |
I Wonder Why it Grows? I Wonder Where it Lives? Seasonal changes Farming |
| Rowan Year 1 |
The Naughty Bus
Seasonal weather Aerial photographs and plans Devising simple maps
|
Shopping Seasonal weather and farming Devising simple maps |
Coming to England Seasonal weather Compare and contrast Whitegate with a small area in a contrasting non-European country (Pointe a Pierre in Trinidad). |
| Birch Year 2 |
Name and locate the 4 countries & capital cities of the UK and its seas. |
Fascinating Fight
Name & locate the world’s 7 continents & 5 oceans. Identify the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles |
Beside the Seaside Coasts Identify characteristics of the 4 countries of the UK Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to: key physical and human features. Map skills |
| Elder Year 3 |
The United Kingdom Geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics land-use patterns and understand |
The United Kingdom Key topographical features hills, mountains, coasts |
Raging Rivers The importance of rivers to settlements in both UK and the first cities globally (including a residential to Liverpool) Map Work (OS) including 4-figure grid references (linked to the residential visit) |
|
Hawthorn Year 4/5 |
Europe Europe counties, capitals, environmental regions, weather and climate, trade (Why did the Ancient Greeks spread their empire?) |
The United Kingdom The impact of the Romans, Anglo- Saxons and Viking on Britain – roads, first towns, Hadrian’s Wall. Cities and Counties of the UK |
Escape from Pompeii Similarities and differences of a region of the United Kingdom (the North West with a region in a European country (Naples Bay) Volcanoes and Earthquakes Map Work (OS) including 6-figure grid references linked to the residential visit |
| Oak Year 5/6 |
The Mayans Central America |
Vale Royal Local fieldwork and mapwork
|
Tourism Similarities and differences of a region of the United Kingdom (North West - Lake District), a European country (Normandy) and a region within North America (Great Lakes including Niagara Falls) using “Queen of the Falls”. Map Work (OS) including 6-figure grid references linked to the residential visit |