Geography
Intent
At Marnel Junior School, our Geography curriculum is designed to develop children’s curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
Children investigate and learn about places in Britain and abroad to build knowledge of the Earth’s physical and human processes in an increasingly complex world. We provide opportunities to enquire into our local area of Hampshire so pupils develop a sense of identity, heritage, and what makes our local community unique. Our curriculum meets National Curriculum requirements while meeting our pupils' needs, enabling them to apply geographical skills progressively and become passionate young geographers who confidently communicate their findings. Through high-quality teaching, we develop essential characteristics including strong locational knowledge, understanding of environmental change, rich vocabulary, fluency in geographical enquiry, excellent fieldwork skills, and a genuine curiosity about current global issues and society.
Implementation
Teachers plan an inspiring curriculum centred around 'big questions' to motivate pupils into becoming enthusiastic geographers. Units are carefully sequenced using knowledge organisers and progression documents to build skills and vocabulary over time. Lessons follow Rosenshine’s principles of instruction, embedding retrieval practice to consolidate prior learning into long-term memory while sometimes using layered tasks to provide scaffolding and stretch for all learners. Active enquiry is central to our approach, enriched through fieldwork in Hampshire and educational visits. AI is also used to enhance virtual reality experiences, allowing students to "visit" different global locations and explore landscapes and cultures interactively from the classroom. At the end of each learning journey, teachers use "warm assessments" to evaluate children's understanding and ensure they can apply their knowledge effectively. Children demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of ways, such as double-page spreads, debates, and presentations.
Impact
Our Geography curriculum is high quality and planned to demonstrate clear progression across Key Stage 2.
Pupils leave Marnel Junior School as confident geographers with strong local knowledge of Hampshire alongside a firm grasp of global places, cultures, and physical processes.
They articulate their learning fluently, explain human and physical features, and use paper and digital maps competently. We measure impact through outcome reviews, pupil discussions, and a range of end-point assessments to ensure all children make good progress and foster a lifelong love of learning.
