Geography at Parochial
'Parochial Cares', our mission is to prepare children for the future by living, learning and growing together in God.
To live life... life in all its fullness (John 10:10)
Geography curriculum handbook available upon request:
Vision:
At Parochial, we aim to inspire children’s curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. The curriculum is planned in a way which equips children with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments. The Geography curriculum at Parochial develops knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and which can be used to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
Implementation:
At Parochial we are:
Educating for Wisdom, knowledge and skills in Geography through the development of a clear progression in skills and knowledge which builds upon strong foundations. Geographical enquiry begins in the Early Years, as children begin to learn about the world around them.
In Key Stage 1, children begin to use fieldwork to learn about the human and physical features of their school and wider locality: Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester and compare these features to the rest of the United Kingdom. Children begin to compare locations around the world, such as hot and cold places and to understand variations between continents.
In Key Stage 2, Children continue to develop their fieldwork skills through the investigation of land use, economic activity including trade links and how it has changed over time. KS2 study rivers particularly the River Tame and Crowden Valley. The children build upon their skills of conducting a comparative, geographical study with increasing detail and complexity. Children continue to use maps, plans, graphs and digital technologies throughout the Key Stage to gain confidence and familiarity with key physical and human characteristics of major cities, countries and continents.
Educating for hope and aspiration through Geography by learning about career paths which rely on Geographical skills and knowledge. During Enterprise week, children learn about the work of meteorologists, town planners and conservation workers as a few examples of career choices that are linked to the subject. Throughout the Key Stages, children learn about famous explorers including Roald Amundsen and Robert Scott in ‘Ice Explorers’, Blackbeard and Anne Bonny in ‘Pirates’ and even fictional characters such as Kensuke in Kensuke’s Kingdom where the theme of hope is explored.
Educating for community and living well together by learning about our local area. The children explore Ashton-under-Lyne’s origins and how the community came to be through a ‘Manchester and its Mills’ theme. Whilst focussing on human Geography, an appreciation of different circumstances, backgrounds and cultures is linked to the success of our cosmopolitan town. Through studies of India, Spain and the African continent, the children explore traditional foods, music and clothing. They gain an appreciation for cultural differences and religions different from their own.
Educating for dignity and respect by exploring environmental issues through the theme of ‘Under the Sea’, ‘Save the planet’ and ‘Rainforest’. Our children learn how to formally debate through their English curriculum and this skill is used to explore issues around conservation and sustainability in Geography. Our children learn about cause and effect and how to be global citizens. They conduct studies about natural disasters in ‘Volcanoes and earthquakes’ and learn about relief programmes which support displaced communities as well as charity efforts to support and protect our planet and its people.
Impact:
Our comprehensive Geography curriculum equips our children with the skills to engage as a global citizen and the knowledge to make a positive impact in society. Our children leave us ready for the secondary curriculum as they are able to think critically about geographical concepts and issues. Our children have a secure knowledge about the world they live in, their impact upon it and the issues that affect people across the globe. They have the tools to tackle complex issues and are ready to further develop their technical understanding of the world’s major countries and their physical and human features.