Intent 

At St Joseph’s Infant and Junior School, our Geography curriculum is designed to inspire curiosity about the world, deepen children’s understanding of their place within it, and help every child flourish and fulfil their God given potential. We aim to equip pupils with the knowledge and skills needed to explore, investigate and appreciate the diverse environments, people and cultures that shape our planet. Through carefully sequenced topics, children develop secure locational knowledge, a rich geographical vocabulary, and the ability to interpret maps, data, and a wide range of geographical sources. Our curriculum encourages pupils to ask thoughtful questions, recognise patterns, make connections between human and physical processes, and consider how their actions influence the world around them. Above all, we intend to nurture responsible, reflective global citizens who show curiosity, respect and care for the environment, and who approach the study of Geography with an open mind and a sense of wonder. 

Implementation 

Our Geography curriculum is carefully structured to build progressively on the knowledge, skills and curiosity developed from Early Years to the end of Key Stage 2. In Early Years, children explore their immediate environment, use basic locational language, identify simple human and physical features—such as local beaches—and begin to understand where they live using tools like Google Earth. They create simple maps and develop an awareness of their local community. As pupils move through Key Stage 1, these foundations are strengthened through studying the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. Using maps, atlases, globes, observational skills and simple fieldwork, pupils enhance their locational awareness and learn to compare and contrast different environments using subject specific vocabulary. In Key Stage 2, this learning is deepened further through the study of contrasting regions, global geography, physical processes and environmental impact, ensuring pupils develop a broad and secure understanding of the world around them. Across all year groups, key geographical skills are explicitly taught within each topic and revisited throughout the year to ensure secure understanding and progression. 

Impact  

The impact of our Geography curriculum at St Joseph’s Infant and Junior School is that children develop a deep, secure and meaningful understanding of the world and their place within it. Through the progressive teaching of locational knowledge, geographical vocabulary and enquiry skills, pupils gain the confidence to interpret maps, data and a wide range of geographical sources with accuracy and curiosity. They learn to observe their environment closely, ask thoughtful questions, recognise patterns and make informed connections between human and physical processes. Because key geographical skills are revisited throughout each year, pupils build strong foundations that enable them to compare contrasting places, understand global regions, and appreciate the complexity of environmental issues. Fieldwork and practical exploration further enrich their learning, helping them apply classroom knowledge to real-world contexts and develop a sense of responsibility towards the environments they study. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils leave St Joseph’s as knowledgeable, reflective and responsible global citizens. They understand how their actions can influence the world, demonstrate respect for diverse communities and environments, and carry forward a lifelong curiosity about the planet and the people who inhabit it.