Curriculum Implementation

Implementation

Geography structures the curriculum into a 3-year Key Stage 3, a 2 year KS4 and a 2 year KS5 curriculum.

Subject specialists have given consideration and thought to the sequence and rationale of the curriculum; why we teach the content we do and in the order that we do. This is to ensure knowledge is not isolated information; it is connected knowledge that enables comprehension. There are many opportunities for connections and links between physical and human topics at all key stages.

At Key Stage 3, the full National Curriculum is delivered. The Geography curriculum is organised into units and each unit builds on prior knowledge allowing connections to be made and enables knowledge to be transferable. In Geography we believe this facilitates deeper comprehension. The unit content taught is chosen so lessons focus on developing deeper understanding and capacity for skill application while providing breath and depth of understanding.

At Key Stage 4, the full EDEXCEL A GCSE specification is delivered. Content is structured into units. The curriculum is designed to ensure students gain a depth of knowledge on physical and human geography and how they are interconnected. They will be able to examine environmental concerns at #different scales and evaluate how these are managed. Not only does this equip them to be able to study Geography further, but should allow them to become better global citizens. Each lesson builds on prior learning, allowing connections to be made between content. Units have been organised and designed to promote learning and provide depth and breadth of understanding

At Key Stage 5 the AQA Geography specification is delivered. Content is structured into units with three units taught per year. We do not ‘teach to the test.’ The curriculum is designed to ensure students can gain a deep insight into physical and human geography, by studying key units in depth and making connections, particularly through their independently completed NEA. Each lesson builds on prior learning, allowing connections to be made between content. Units have been organised and designed to promote learning and provide depth and breadth of understanding

Student voice has been conducted to ensure that students have a contribution to the curriculum content. This has resulted in homework club being introduced.

The Geography Department is a member of the Geographical Association and works alongside the School Improvement Partners to quality assure our curriculum and ensure that it provides a high quality and comprehensive curriculum for all.

Pedagogical approach

The pedagogical approach for Geography adheres to the LLT Teaching and Learning Policy. Subject specialists deliver the Geography curriculum through 50 , 55-minute lessons per fortnight

Rosenshine and ‘Teach Like a Champion’ strategies are implemented in all lessons and lesson episodes are designed to enable students to store knowledge into the long-term memory.

Lessons

Tasks and activities are engaging and whenever possible are linked to local context, careers and progression and develop cultural capital. Examples include a sequence of lessons in Year 10 looking at the growth, decline and regeneration of Liverpool. In Year 7, pupils visit their local coastline, completing a study on how sustainable management is needed on the Sefton Coast.

Lessons are structured to enable students to review/retrieve prior knowledge and activate it to make connections with new learning. This is through ‘Do It Now’ tasks at the start of each lesson

In each lesson, students are informed what they are learning and what the outcomes for the lesson are. We call these ‘WALT’ (What we are all learning today,) and ‘WILF’ (What I’m Looking For.)

New information is delivered in small steps and models are provided to support student comprehension. For example, in Geography we model extended writing to ensure pupils become confident through guided practice.

Lessons provide opportunities for students to practice applying their new learning. This may include guided and/or independent practice.

Questioning is used to inform adaptive teaching, and this includes techniques such as ‘right is right’ to ensure students accurately and clearly articulate their responses.

Students are asked to complete practical based activities such as on and off site fieldwork. Trip locations include the Sefton Coast, Keswick and the River Aly. This allows pupils to collect data and complete an enquiry based project, drawing conclusions based on their own evidence.

Students develop essential knowledge and then apply it in activities that ‘bring it all together.’ This ensures they connect knowledge and learning.

Assessment takes place in the form of formative and summative assessment tasks. These are carefully considered and link directly to the curriculum intent for the half term.

Clear ‘essential knowledge reading’ activities are provided to support reading development and provide depth and breadth to the curriculum. For example, at key stage 3 pupils are provided with ambitious wider reading half termly. This ranges from material provided by the National Trust on challenges with coastal management to news articles on sustainable cities such as Freiburg. Wider reading promotes breadth, depth or consolidation of classroom learning.