Highcliffe St Mark Primary School 

Geography Vision Statement 

At Highcliffe St Mark, our geography curriculum aims to inspire pupils to become curious, explorative and critical thinkers with a diverse knowledge of the world; in other words, to think like a geographer. We want our children to develop a life-long curiosity about the world and its people, deepening their understanding of how physical and human processes interact to shape the environments we live in today, including the impact of climate change.

As a school, our geography curriculum is designed by Kapow Primary. It is designed to build an understanding of how geography shapes our lives at different scales and across time. It supports children with the necessary skills to understand that we live in an interconnected world, and to develop a secure sense of place within both their locality, the wider world and their place in it. Alongside this and our valued and committed Eco Council, we hope to encourage our children to become resourceful, responsible and active citizens who will have the skills to contribute to and improve the world around them.

Our geography curriculum encourages a strong focus on developing geographical skills and knowledge, which is embedded across all year groups. Fieldwork is also a key component of our approach. At Highcliffe, we are proud of the rich learning opportunities within our school grounds, community and wider world and each unit of work includes a specific fieldwork enquiry that allows children to apply their skills through real, hands-on investigation, therefore making the most of these fantastic resources around us. We aim to nurture a deep interest and knowledge of the local area and how it compares to other areas in the world. We also provide opportunities for a growing understanding of geographical concepts, terms and vocabulary.

The knowledge and skills taught are progressive, sequential, and transferable, ensuring that by the time the children leave us, they have the tools needed for their further education and beyond. Above all, we seek to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

Ultimately, our Geography curriculum empowers pupils to think critically, ask, “Why here?” and “Why this way?”, and to develop the knowledge and skills they need to navigate and contribute positively to an ever-changing world.