Curriculum Intent

At St. Gregory’s, our Geography curriculum aims to inspire children with curiosity, wonder and a deep appreciation of the world God created. We want pupils to explore diverse places, people and environments and to understand how the Earth’s physical and human processes shape our lives.

As part of the Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust, we follow a carefully designed Trust Geography Curriculum that ensures clear progression in knowledge and skills from Year 1 to Year 6, preparing pupils well for Key Stage 3.

Through a rich and ambitious geography curriculum, we aim for pupils to:

  • Build secure knowledge of locations, environments, physical features and human geography locally, nationally and globally.
  • Develop a passion for exploring the world, asking questions and investigating geographical issues.
  • Understand how physical and human processes interact and influence one another.
  • Develop strong geographical enquiry skills: observing, collecting data, measuring, mapping and drawing conclusions.
  • Use geographical vocabulary confidently and accurately.
  • Recognise how geographical understanding links to wider global issues such as climate change, sustainability and resource use.

Our curriculum reflects our trust virtues, encouraging curiosity, resilience, respect, responsibility, honesty and compassion as children learn about the diverse world around them.

Curriculum Implementation

Trust Geography Curriculum

Geography is taught in termly, discreet units using the Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust’s curriculum. This ensures:

  • A clear sequence of learning with defined knowledge end points.
  • Effective progression so pupils know more and remember more over time.
  • Consistent expectations and subject depth across all Trust schools.
  • Full coverage of National Curriculum content.

Each unit includes:

  • A clear rationale
  • Key topic vocabulary
  • Minimum knowledge expectations
  • Retrieval and recap tasks
  • Assessment opportunities
  • High‑quality resources

Threshold Concepts

The Trust curriculum is underpinned by four key geographical concepts taught consistently from KS1 to KS5:

  1. Location and Place Knowledge
  2. Physical Geography
  3. Human Geography
  4. Geographical Skills and Fieldwork

These concepts form the foundation for geographical understanding and are revisited in each year group.

Golden Threads

To connect learning across units and deepen understanding, conceptual threads run throughout the curriculum:

  • Cause → Effect → Response
  • Social, Economic and Environmental Factors (Geotrio)
  • Interdependence
  • Sustainability and responsibility
  • Change over time

These help pupils think more like geographers and make meaningful connections across topics.

Learn It! Link It!

Each unit includes:

  • Learn It! – essential facts, vocabulary and knowledge
  • Link It! – helps pupils connect new learning to what they already know

This supports long‑term memory and ensures pupils can apply their learning across the curriculum.

Teaching and Pedagogy: “I Do – We Do – You Do”

All geography lessons follow our whole‑school instructional model:

  • I Do – the teacher models geographical skills, vocabulary and enquiry thinking.
  • We Do – pupils practise skills collaboratively, analysing maps, interpreting data or discussing questions together.
  • You Do – pupils apply knowledge independently through fieldwork, mapping tasks, written explanations or investigations.

This approach provides clarity, structure and strong support for all learners.

Fieldwork and Practical Geography

Fieldwork is an essential part of geography at St. Gregory’s. Pupils engage in:

  • Observing and recording features of the local environment
  • Conducting simple field measurements
  • Collecting and presenting data
  • Using maps, compasses and digital mapping tools
  • Creating field sketches, plans and graphs
  • Analysing patterns and drawing conclusions

This practical work builds pupils’ confidence, independence and geographical thinking.

Vocabulary and Geographical Communication

Pupils learn to use geographical vocabulary clearly and confidently. They present their learning through:

  • Maps and diagrams
  • Charts, graphs and tables
  • Written explanations and conclusions
  • Discussions and presentations

Curriculum Impact

When pupils leave St. Gregory’s, they:

  • Have secure and well‑connected geographical knowledge.
  • Can apply geographical enquiry skills independently.
  • Use precise geographical vocabulary to explain and describe.
  • Can interpret maps, images, diagrams and data with confidence.
  • Understand key physical and human processes and how they affect the world.
  • Make meaningful links across topics using our Golden Threads.
  • Recognise the importance of sustainability, responsibility and global citizenship.
  • Are well prepared for the demands of KS3 Geography.

Impact is measured through:

  • Pupil voice
  • Book looks
  • End‑of-unit assessments and retrieval
  • Learning walks and lesson observations
  • Assessment of fieldwork and enquiry outcomes

Our pupils leave St. Gregory’s as knowledgeable, curious and responsible young geographers who understand their place in the world and their role in shaping its future.

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