Humanities

Geography and History

Geography provokes and answers questions about the natural and human worlds, using different
scales of enquiry to view them from different perspectives. It develops knowledge of places and
environments throughout the world, an understanding of maps and a range of investigative ands
problem solving skills both inside and outside the classroom. As such, it prepares pupils for adult
life and employment.

Geography is a focus within the National Curriculum 2014 for understanding and resolving issues about the environment and sustainable development. It is also and important link between the natural and social sciences. As pupils study Geography, they encounter different societies and cultures. This helps them to realize how nations rely on each other. It can inspire them to think about their own place in the world, their values and their rights and responsibilities to other people and the
environment.

Geography teaching offers opportunities to:
• foster a better understanding of communities, appreciation of surroundings and an awareness of the diversity of physical and human conditions.
• enable children to recognise how places and people are interdependent and appreciate the need for responsible actions and attitudes towards the earth and its population.
• nurture informed responses to geographical issues including how land is used, where people live and why, employment patterns and economic development.

These aims can be met if we enable children to develop the following geographical skills:

  • use and understand maps, including OS, commercial and pictorial maps, satellite maps and maps made by pupils themselves.
  • field learning techniques and the use of geographical equipment.
  • data handling, collection interpretation and evaluation.
  • problem solving, posing and answering questions using relevant data and resources.
  • making comparisons between localities both in the UK and world wide.
  • identifying physical and natural processes which cause change.
  • investigating the influence of man in the landscape.

At Foundation level, Geography is an integral part of learning within Knowledge and Understanding of the World. The nature of thematic teaching and learning means that links are made between Geography and many other subjects so that pupils can develop and apply their geographical skills. For more information regarding how the teaching of Geography is organised, please refer to the cycle overview plans for each team.
From Year 1, all pupils will have Geography lessons as part of their thematic learning. Within these lessons, there will be a good balance between whole class learning, group teaching and individual practice with an emphasis on creative teaching and learning.

History

Through the National Curriculum 2014, History provokes questions about events from the past…

  • To help children understand the present in the context of the past
  • To arouse interest in the past and encourage questioning and speculation
  • To foster a sense of identity and an increased understanding of pupils’ own position in their own community and the world
  • To foster an understanding of various cultural backgrounds
  • To contribute to children’s knowledge of how societies and people have developed over time
  • To promote the skills of argument, hypothesis, chronology, sequencing, awareness of points of view, observation, evaluation, research, comparison, deduction, role-play
  • To enrich and support other areas of the curriculum and provide an excellent stimulus for writing
  • To prepare pupils for adult life by helping them to understand the nature of the society in which we live
  • To promote British Values

We will achieve these aims by the following objectives:
Pupils will study everyday life and the culture of people in the past and make comparisons with their own lives and experiences
Pupils will compare a range of historical events to gain knowledge of change and the evolution of life styles
Pupils will be given an understanding of chronology
Pupils will recognise that some things change and others remain the same
Pupils will be made aware that historical events often have more than one cause and consequence.