Humanities: History & Geography
Please be aware that we are in the process of updating the curriculum pages to reflect the content of the WMAT curriculum and so there may be 'gaps' in the published information at this time.
Curriculum Intent for Geography
We intend that our geography curriculum inspires in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. We equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with an understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes and the interaction between these, including the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
Our Geography Curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:
As learners of Geography in KS1, pupils develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.
They are taught:
Locational Knowledge
We intend that our geography curriculum inspires in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. We equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with an understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes and the interaction between these, including the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
Our Geography Curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:
- develop knowledge of where a range of globally significant places are and what they are like, including their defining physical and human characteristics
- develop an understanding of the ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected and how much human and physical environments are interrelated and change over time.
- develop a range of geographical knowledge and vocabulary
- are competent in the geographical skills (procedural knowledge) needed to:
- collect, analyse and interpret a range of data through fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes
- interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
- communicate geographical information in a variety of ways and using a range of presentational devices, including maps, charts and writing.
As learners of Geography in KS1, pupils develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.
They are taught:
Locational Knowledge
- to name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans
- to name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas
- to understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the United Kingdom, and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country
- to identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles
- to use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to:
- key physical and key human features
- to use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage
- to use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map
- to use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key
- use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment.
- Pupils are taught:
- to locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities
- to name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time
- to identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)
- to understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region within North or South America
- physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle
- human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water
- to use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
- to use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world
- to use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.
- Investigation of places
- Investigation of patterns
- Communicating geographically
Curriculum Intent for History
We intend that our history curriculum supports pupils to gain a knowledge of Britain’s past and that of the wider world and that it inspires pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. It develops the vocabulary and conceptual understanding that enable pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. We believe that an awareness and understanding of history helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.
Implementation
As students of history, KS1 pupils are supported to
KS1 pupils are taught about:
As students of history KS2 pupils are supported to
A sense of historical chronology is developed by placing these aspects of study within a timeline from the Stone Age to the present day and discussing relevant connections between them. While our school structure does not facilitate the chronological teaching of the history curriculum, within any given academic year, history themes are explored chronologically.
Our pupils should be able to organise their knowledge, skills and understanding around the following learning approaches:
We intend that our history curriculum supports pupils to gain a knowledge of Britain’s past and that of the wider world and that it inspires pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. It develops the vocabulary and conceptual understanding that enable pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. We believe that an awareness and understanding of history helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.
Implementation
As students of history, KS1 pupils are supported to
- develop an awareness of the past and simple historical chronology, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time
- identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods, using a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms.
- ask and answer questions to show that they know and understand key features of events and understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and in which the past is represented.
KS1 pupils are taught about:
- changes within living memory, local and national
- events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally
- the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements with some should be used to compare aspects of life in different periods
- significant historical events, people and places in their own locality
As students of history KS2 pupils are supported to
- develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
- To note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
- address and devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
- construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.
- understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
- changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age
- the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain
- Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots
- the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor
- a local history study
- a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066
- the achievements of the earliest civilizations – an overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared and a depth study of Ancient Egypt.
- Ancient Greece – a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world
- a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history, specifically, Mayan civilization c. AD 900
A sense of historical chronology is developed by placing these aspects of study within a timeline from the Stone Age to the present day and discussing relevant connections between them. While our school structure does not facilitate the chronological teaching of the history curriculum, within any given academic year, history themes are explored chronologically.
Our pupils should be able to organise their knowledge, skills and understanding around the following learning approaches:
- Investigate and interpret the past
- Build an overview of world history
- Understand chronology
- Communicate historically