Geography Policy

‘An inclusive geography curriculum focuses on helping pupils to question and understand a range of spatial issues related to diversity, inclusion and exclusion, and on encouraging them to be tolerant towards others complete acceptance of others whom they perceive to be different from them.’ (Geographical Association (GA))

 Introduction

This policy is a statement of the aims, principles, strategies and expectations of effective teaching and learning of Geography at Barton St Lawrence Primary School.

 Please read this policy in conjunction with:

·Teaching and Learning Policy

·SEND Policy

·Health and Safety Policy Outdoor Adventures Policy

Aims

Geography teaches an understanding of places and environments. Through their work in geography, children learn about their local area and compare their life in this area with that in other regions in the United Kingdom and in the rest of the world. Children gain an appreciation of life in other cultures. Geography teaching also motivates children to find out about the world and enables them to recognize the importance of sustainable development. They learn how to draw and interpret maps and they develop the skills of research, investigation, analysis and problem-solving.

Aims and Objectives:

Through effective teaching and learning of Geography we aim for children to:

• Know where they live in comparison to other places in the UK and wider world.
• Be able to identify and describe the differences and similarities between different cultures within the world.
• Become appreciative and respectful of different cultures by developing a good understanding of cultural diversity.
• Have first-hand experience of the human and physical features of different locations.
• Be encouraged in a commitment to sustainable development and appreciate what ‘global citizenship’ means.
• Know and understand environmental problems at a local, regional and global level.
• Be able to use geographical skills to collect and communicate information including drawing and interpreting maps.

Teaching and Learning in Geography

Teachers use a variety of teaching and learning styles in our geography lessons, including enquiry-based research activities. We encourage children to ask as well as answer geographical questions. We offer them the opportunity to use a variety of resources and enable them to use ICT in geography lessons where this serves to enhance their learning.

Implementation

 Geography is taught as part of a creative curriculum. The implementation of Geography depends on the topic each half term for different year groups. Geography objectives have been organised into various themes to make children’s learning relevant and interesting. This will also enable children to be given the opportunity to apply their Geographical skills and knowledge in other areas of the curriculum. Geography will usually be taught for an hour a week during the half terms that it is a focus in the topic, but timings are flexible as long as all objectives are covered throughout the year.

Objectives that are ongoing such as naming and locating countries and cities within the world (see appendix A) will be revisited in each year group.

 In each classroom a world map and a map of Europe should be displayed all year round so that children can refer to them when needed. Globes and atlases should also be available in each classroom to be regularly used and referred to during lessons and ongoing challenges.

Geography curriculum planning

We use the National Curriculum for Geography as the basis for our curriculum planning. We use the Matters Skills and Processes attainment targets in the Curriculum document to then plan a creative curriculum which links areas of children’s learning in different subjects. Each class teacher creates a medium term plan which is published on the website to inform parents about teaching in geography. This plan then feeds into weekly plans that list specific learning objectives. The class teacher keeps these individual plans, and can discuss them with the geography subject leader on an informal basis.

Activating Prior Knowledge

 Using prior assessment information to guide activities and strategies enables teachers to accurately identify the start point for learning. A record of the activity or strategy outcome is kept in each child’s workbook.

Learning Intentions/ Objectives

 Based on prior assessment information and outcomes from the activation of prior knowledge teachers identify ordered learning objectives for each group within the class to ensure that progress in learning is made. Learning objectives and success criteria are to be shared with the children at the beginning of each Geography lesson so that children know their learning steps throughout the lesson. See Appendix A for year group objectives and curriculum overview.

 Differentiation

 There are a number of different forms of differentiation:

• By outcome – where a task is given and the children respond at different levels
• Different tasks around the same topic matched to the needs of the children
• Variety of input for the same task
• Variety of questioning
• Completing different tasks

 Fieldwork

Fieldwork is integral to good geography teaching and we include as many opportunities as we can to involve children in practical geographical research and enquiry. Each year group should take part in at least one fieldwork opportunity per year.

 Making Cross Curricular Links

At Barton St Lawrence Primary School we believe that making links between curriculum subjects and matters, skills and processes will deepen the children’s understanding by providing opportunities to reinforce and enhance learning. A majority of our formative assessment will be taken from cross curricular work where children are applying taught matters, skills and processes.

Assessment of Geography

We assess the children’s work in geography by making informal judgements as we observe the children during lessons. Once the children complete a unit of work, we make a summary judgement of the work for each pupil. We record these judgements in the children’s books with a red (below expected), yellow (expected), or green (above expected) sticker so that the children know at what level they are working. This is also recorded at the front of each child’s book so that the teacher has a clear overview of what the children have achieved throughout the year. The purpose of this assessment is to provide the basis for assessing the progress of the child and to pass information on to the next teacher at the end of the year. The geography subject leader keeps samples of the children’s work in a portfolio.

Types of Assessment

Formative – assessment for learning – allows the teacher to see what the child knows, understands and can do
Summative – assessment of learning – records overall achievement of the child
Diagnostic – identifies areas of strength and weakness
Evaluative – allows teachers and school leaders to see the effectiveness of teaching in terms of performance

Formative Assessment

 Formative assessment is embedded in the teaching and learning process of Geography at Barton St Lawrence Primary School. It involves:

1. Evaluating pupils level of knowledge
2. Setting explicit learning intentions
3. Sharing learning intentions and success criteria with pupils
4. Questioning effectively
5. Pupils evaluating their own and peers performance against success criteria
6. Teacher s and pupils reflecting and reviewing performance and progress
7. Effective feedback, both oral and written, to inform pupils what they should do next
8. Children responding to feedback

Self-Assessment and Peer Assessment

Peer and self-assessment are ways of engaging children in understanding their progress in learning and identifying next steps in their learning that can be used in addition, and to support, to oral and written feedback from teachers and Support Staff. The aim is to involve children in the analysis and constructive criticism of their own and others work. Learners use the success criteria to make judgements on their own, and peers, learning and identify areas for development – next steps.

Day to Day Assessment

The main focus involves teachers using their professional skills to observe a child to see if the work provided for them is sufficiently challenging to ensure progress or that misconceptions or ‘gaps’ are not impacting on progress. The assessments are recorded on the planning sheets and used to inform future planning. This may be achieved through:

• Questioning
• Observing
• Discussing
• Analysing
• Checking children’s understanding
• Engaging children in reviewing progress

Assessment of Learning – Summative Assessments

At the end of a unit of work summative assessments are made about each child’s achievements throughout the unit and are they recorded on the Summative assessment sheet at the front of each child’s book as mentioned above to judge if the children are emerging, expected, exceeding. Strengths and areas for development are identified and this informs future learning of the skills matters and processes for the next unit of work.

Assessment for Learning – Formative Assessments

The success criteria are made explicit in all planning. Key questions and cross-curricular opportunities are identified on weekly planning. Assessment opportunities are identified in weekly foundation planning and these form the basis planning for learning for the next lesson. Teachers make brief notes in the assessment note column on planning to inform subsequent teaching and learnings. It is best practice to be constantly revising planned learning.

Success Criteria

Success criteria are shared with all children and displayed throughout the lesson to be used by the learner, peers or teacher. These should be differentiated where appropriate.

Target Setting

Target setting involves staff and children identifying challenging and measureable targets. These are realistic and manageable and aim to raise self-esteem through success. By evaluating tasks that activate children’s prior knowledge, teachers can then plan a set of challenging but achievable targets/learning objectives for the unit of work in Geography. The performance of each child is monitored during and recorded at the end of each unit.

Marking and Feedback – Tickled Pink and Green for Growth / Two stars and a Wish

Rationale

We are committed to providing relevant and timely feedback to pupils, both orally and in writing. Marking intends to serve the purposes of valuing pupils’ learning, helping to diagnose areas for development or next steps, and evaluating how well the learning task has been understood. Marking should be a process of creating a dialogue with the learner, through which feedback can be exchanged and questions asked; the learner is actively involved in the process.

At Barton St Lawrence, we aim to:
• Provide consistency and continuity in marking throughout the school so that children have a clear understanding of teacher expectations;
• Use the marking system as a tool for formative ongoing assessment;
• Improve standards by encouraging children to give of their best and improve on their last piece of work;
• Develop children’s self-esteem through praise and valuing their achievements;
• Create a dialogue which will aid progression.

Principles of Effective Marking Effective marking should:
• Be manageable for staff
• Be positive, motivating and constructive for children
• Be at the child’s level of comprehension
• Be written in handwriting that is legible and a model for the child
• Allow specific time for the children to read, reflect and respond to marking
• Involve all adults working with children in the classroom
• Give children opportunities to become aware of and reflect on their learning needs
• Give recognition and appropriate praise for achievement
• Give clear strategies for improvement
• Provide information for the teacher on the success of the teaching
• Feedback should relate to the Geography learning objective/success criteria of the work set e.g. marked mainly for the Geography content, but any literacy targets that need work should be written in a purple pen
 • Positively affect the child’s progress.
• Look for progress and success before areas to develop.
 • Be positive for children.

Effective Marking and Feedback Strategies

The following strategies can be used to assess, mark and provide feedback:
1. Verbal Feedback

This means the discussion of work in direct contact with the child. It is particularly appropriate with younger, less able or less confident children. A discussion should be accompanied by the Verbal Feedback Stamp in the child’s book along with the context in which the work was done and an outline of feedback given.

2. Success Criteria Checklists

Success Criteria checklists can be used in all subjects and may include columns for self/peer assessment and teacher assessment. These should be differentiated where appropriate. For example:

3. Feedback Comments

Personalised Quality Feedback Comments should be used frequently to extend learning and must be differentiated appropriately. When marking, staff may see a piece of work that requires clarification or is a good opportunity to extend that child’s learning. The emphasis when marking should be on both success and areas for development against the learning objective and success criteria. 'Correct' work is highlighted in pink (Tinkled Pink) and areas for development are highlighted in green (Green for Growth), with a corresponding written prompt. A focussed comment should help the child in “closing the gap” between what they have achieved and what they could have achieved.

4. Responding to Marking

All lessons must start with an opportunity to respond to marking and feedback from the previous lesson.

Moderation

Moderation is the process of bringing individual judgements into line with general standards and those throughout school and nationally. Moderation is carried out annually for Geography.

Monitoring and Evaluation of the Geography Policy.

This will occur yearly alongside moderation of work. Monitoring and evaluation of teaching, learning and the curriculum enable us to:

• Find out about the quality of teaching and learning and standards of achievement
• Identify strengths and areas for development
• Identify areas for development and take appropriate action
• Ensure consistency in continuity and progression
• Provide appropriate support and resources
• Ensure the needs of all groups or children are addressed
• Share good practice

The Headteacher monitors:
• Long term, medium term and short term planning
• Co-ordinates and monitors moderation of judgements
 

Subject Leader monitors:
• Long term, medium term and short term planning
• Annual assessments when a summative judgement is made.
• Co-ordinates and monitors moderation of judgements
• Ensures policy is implemented
• Supports and guides teachers in teaching and learning of Geography.
• Monitors and evaluates practices in school
• Keeps up to date with latest initiatives, research and resources and communicate these to staff
• Attends relevant CPD
• Scrutinises marking and feedback in workbooks
• Ensures policy is implemented Prepares, organises and delivers appropriate CPD

All staff:
• Complete weekly planning that indicates assessment focus
• Assess pupils work in each lesson and provide notes on planning
• Plan learning that is in response to assessment information
• Makes a summative judgement at the end of each unit for each child

Review and Evaluation of the Policy

 The policy will be reviewed annually, to ensure it is kept in line with any curriculum changes that take place within the school or externally.