"Geography is a subject, which holds the key to our future" - Michael Palin

Intent

At Leyland Methodist Schools, we believe that the teaching and learning of Geography should shape the future of our generation by:

• Building the confidence of our learners to go out and explore, understand and enjoy their local environment; 

• Spark curiosity and create a desire to explore the wider world;

• Develop an appreciation of our environment and foster a desire to preserve it.

Geography and the National Curriculum

Our Geography curriculum has been designed to cover the statutory requirements laid out in the National Curriculum Programme of Study while at the same time fostering and promoting the interests of OUR children at Leyland Methodist Schools. We have carried out a thorough curriculum needs analysis to give us a clear idea of the different types of amazing learners that we have here in Leyland, and then we have then used this information to create a curriculum that meets all of their requirements.

At Leyland Methodist Schools, we are now proud to offer a progressive, skills-based Geography curriculum that provides a hands on learning approach which develops life-long skills. A curriculum that is underpinned by our core values of "Love, Serve, Celebrate, Together".

We go outside, we explore, we navigate our surroundings; reading maps and interpreting symbols, we compare localities and analyse similarities and differences, we are inquisitive and we respect the world around us.

Cultural Capital

In addition to the NC objectives, our curriculum is enriched further with a range of extra-curricular activities that the school includes in order to enrich the experiences of our children. This includes trips within the local are (i.e. Worden Park), trips beyond the local area (seaside trip to Lytham), visitors in, workshops (United Utilities), community and charity work (supporting the Bethany Family), assemblies and parent events (Geography pop up project with a map reading focus) all of these enhancements are specifically designed to fill gaps in the children’s experiences and develop their cultural capital.

Diversity

Diversity is something we embed within our everyday practice as we "Love, Serve, Celebrate, Together ". However, we as a school recognise that Geography can be used as a platform to further support diversity.

The EYFS curriculum fully immerses children in a variety of topics. This gives them opportunities to embed, empathise and engage with other cultures and traditions. Learners are able to articulate their understanding about the locality that they live in and begin to ask questions about the world beyond Leyland. 

The KS1 and KS2 curriculum have units that specifically focus on  comparing places within United Kingdom, Europe and South America. To further enhance our teaching of Geography and support diversity, a broad range of literature including stories and poems from other cultures are used. 

Humanities Realm

Miss G. Thornley

(Geography Subject Leader)

g.thornley@leyland-methodist-inf.lancs.sch.uk