Geography

Intent

We offer a structure and sequence of lessons from a bespoke planning scheme to ensure that all pupils have covered the skills required to meet the aims of the national curriculum by the end of their time at Blessed Sacrament. Our planning cycle takes into account our composite classes; all pupils will cover the requirements of their phase across two years. The content allows for a broader, deeper understanding of the four areas of geography identified in the national curriculum: locational knowledge, place knowledge, human and physical geography, and geographical skills and fieldwork. We want to develop in our pupils a contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places and an understanding of the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, along with how they bring about variation and change over time. We intend to develop children’s curiosity and a fascination of the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. The topics chosen offer a range of opportunities for investigating places around the world as well as physical and human processes. Each lessons intends to improve children’s geographical vocabulary, map skills and geographical facts and provide opportunities for consolidation, challenge and variety to ensure interest and progress in the subject. Opportunities to learn and explore outside of the classroom are provided in the form of off-site visits and workshops.

Implementation

In KS1, children begin to use maps and recognise physical and human features to do with the local area, building to using maps to explore the continents and oceans of the world. Additionally, children will begin to compare where they live to places outside of Europe and ask and answer geographical questions. In KS2, map skills are developed further using digital maps, more keys and symbols and children begin to use more fieldwork skills. Through revisiting and consolidating skills, lessons and resources help children build on prior knowledge alongside introducing new skills and challenge. All children expand on their skills in local knowledge, place knowledge, human and physical geography, geographical skills and fieldwork. Across both key stages, children have a range of opportunities to experience geography through practical engaging tasks beyond the classroom. Teachers are provided with resources and training to ensure that they are confident in the progression of skills and knowledge and that outcomes have been met by pupils. Pupils are provided with a ‘knowledge organiser’ at the beginning of each topic which highlights key words and key concepts which they will be introduced to. This is referred to by staff and pupils throughout the topic.

Impact

We believe that the impact of using our bespoke planning is that that geography learning is loved by teachers and pupils across school, teachers have higher expectations and more quality evidence can be presented in books. Additionally, we are able to ensure that the individual needs of all pupils are met adequately, including ensuring that SEND pupils are able to access learning and that more able pupils are stretched in their learning. All children will use geographical vocabulary accurately and understand the different strands of geography, with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. Children will begin to make relevant links from geography to other curriculum subjects, such as history and science. They will improve their enquiry skills and inquisitiveness about the world around them, and their impact on the world. All children will realise that they have choices to make in the world, developing a positive commitment to the environment and the future of the planet. Children will become competent in collecting, analysing and communicating a range of data gathered. They will be able to interpret a range of sources of geographical information and they will communicate geographical information in a variety of ways. All children in the school will be able to speak confidently about their geography learning, skills and knowledge.

History 

Intent

At Blessed Sacrament, our bespoke planning offers a coherently planned sequence of lessons to help teachers ensure they have progressively covered the skills and concepts required in the national curriculum. Our planning cycle is structured around our composite classes meaning that all pupils will cover the requirements of their phase across two years. Our History curriculum aims to develop children’s understanding of substantive concepts, which are revisited throughout different units as pupils move through the school.

Implementation

In KS1, pupils are taught about changes within living memory, such as in ‘Transport through Time and ‘Food and Shopping.” These topics enable as children to acquire an understanding of time, events and people within their own living memory as well as their parents’ and grandparents’ memories. This also present opportunities for families to join our lessons and contribute their own memories and historical knowledge to bring the topics to life. KS1 pupils will also cover topics which teach about events beyond living memory such as “Important Events in the History of Britain” and “Famous Women Throughout History.” A timeline is present in all classes and is referred to regularly so pupils are able to place their current learning in the wider historical framework.

In KS2, the children work in chronological order from Year 3 to Year 6 on the core British history study units taken from the national curriculum, starting with ‘Stone Age to Iron Age’ in Y3/4 and then progressing onto more modern history in Y5/6 with the ‘The Impact of WWII on London’ unit. This will be repeated for ancient history, starting with ‘Ancient Greece’ in Y3/4, moving on to ‘Maya Civilisation’ in Y5/6. In each planning cycle, there is a thematic unit in Y5/6 also with the intention of introducing children to a wider variety of historical topics. The aim is for children to truly develop and embed a sense of time, understand how civilisations were interconnected and to be exposed to a diverse range of history topics. Children start to understand how some historical events occurred concurrently in different locations, e.g. ancient Egypt, ancient Greece and the Stone Age.

Impact

The impact of our bespoke planning and quality teacher provision will be seen across the school with an increase in the profile of history and the visibility of progression in the history curriculum. The learning environment across the school will be more consistent -with historical technical vocabulary displayed,spoken and used by all learners. Whole-school and parental engagement will be improved through the use of off-site visits and opportunities for parents to engage in lessons and share their personal knowledge, especially of our local history. We want to ensure that history is loved by teachers and pupils across the school, therefore encouraging them to want to continue building on this wealth of historical knowledge and understanding, now and in the future. Progression across the school will be measured by regular inputting of data into Sonar as well as the use of our target stickers which enable pupils to be fully aware of their successes in History as well as their targets to continually improve.