Geography is a subject which allows children to develop an understanding of their own locality as well as the wider world.
At Penryn Primary Academy we aim to develop children’s curiosity and understanding of the world. Our children spend time exploring our environment, including our school building and grounds. We develop children’s awareness and understanding of their local area by exploring it’s key features and points of interest.
Fieldwork is an integral part of our Geography curriculum. We use fieldwork trips to develop children’s geographical knowledge and to allow them to think as geographers. Children are encouraged to ask and answer enquiry questions, collect fieldwork data, as well as explore real-life environmental challenges.
At Penryn we allow children to develop a sense of awe and wonder of the wider world. We use a range of maps, images and research to identify human and physical features of global localities and to develop our children’s locational and place knowledge.
EYFS
Children explore our school environment through walks and spending time in and using different areas of our school. They also plan and go on a walk in our local environment. They think about how they will get there, how long it will take them and what they might need.
Our children in early years also think about where our food comes from. They visit a local supermarket and a farm and discover which foods come from other parts of the world.
They children also visit a beach to identify plants and creatures that live in rockpool environments. They then compare this to plant and animal life in our school garden.
Year 1
Our year 1 children develop their mapping skills by creating a map of their classroom which includes a key. They also create a map of our local area following a fieldwork trip to identify the key human and physical features. Year 1 also focus on seasonal changes across the year and how the weather changes throughout the year.
Year 2
Children in year 2 focus on Kenya and identify any similarities and differences between there and the United Kingdom. They also focus on the world’s oceans and discover ways in which we can help to make the oceans a cleaner and safer place. Year 2 take part in a fieldwork trip to the beach in order identify the human and physical features.
Year 3
In year 3 our children focus on Lapland as a tourist locality and they explore why people choose to visit. Year 3 children also think about a holiday within the United Kingdom and focus on what they might see at Stonehenge, in the Lake District and at Loch Ness. Our children in year 3 also look at where some of our foods come from and learn about fair trade products.
Year 4
In year 4, our children learn about what they might see on a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Year 4 also learn about the Amazon rainforest and why we should protect it from deforestation. Year 4 take part in a fieldwork study that focusses on how we can improve our school environment.
Year 5
Year 5 focus on Mexico city and explore what it would be like to live there. They also learn about renewable energy and why Cornwall has the potential to produce a range of renewable energy. Year 5 also learn about natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanoes.
Year 6
Year 6 take part in an island study in which they compare features of the United Kingdom, Galapagos Island and Fiji. Year 6 also investigate ways in which we can have a positive influence on climate change. They take part in a local fieldwork trip in which they collect data in order to answer key questions.
