At St Matthew’s, Geography inspires children to explore, understand, and care for the world around them. Our curriculum encourages curiosity, enquiry, and observation, helping pupils develop knowledge of people, places, and environments both near and far.

How We Teach Geography

In Early Years and Key Stage 1:
Children begin with a focus on themselves and their immediate surroundings. They explore:

• Their home, academy, and local environment

• Journeys and transport, and the reasons people travel

• Familiar places, building an understanding of the world through first-hand experience

In Key Stage 2:
Children expand their understanding to wider contexts, developing skills and knowledge in areas such as:

• Map reading and creation, including a variety of map types and symbols

• Settlements and land use, exploring how humans interact with their environment

• Environmental issues, comparing local, national, and global areas

• Geographical enquiry and fieldwork, using observations, measurements, and research to draw conclusions

Through these experiences, pupils learn to think critically, make connections, and appreciate the diversity of people and places around the world.

Statutory Requirements 

Geography is statutory for Key Stages 1 and 2. By the end of primary school, pupils are expected to:

• Locate and name countries, continents, oceans, and major geographical features

• Understand human and physical geography, including settlements, land use, climate, rivers, and mountains

• Use maps, atlases, globes, and digital mapping to locate and describe features

• Develop enquiry skills, asking questions, collecting data, and presenting findings

Our curriculum ensures pupils gain a solid geographical knowledge base, alongside the ability to think analytically and creatively about the world around them.

Our Goals for Pupils

By the end of primary school, children at St Matthew’s will:

• Develop a strong sense of place, from local to global

• Understand how people and the environment interact

• Be able to interpret and create maps, graphs, and diagrams

• Appreciate different cultures and environments, fostering respect and curiosity

• Feel confident to investigate, question, and explain geographical phenomena