Geography

At Our Lady of Lourdes we believe that geography provides a means of exploring, appreciating and understanding the world in which we live and how it has evolved. Geography explores the relationship between the Earth and its people. Geography stimulates curiosity and imagination and we aim to build upon the child's "personal geography" by developing geographical skills, understanding and knowledge through studying places and themes. We encourage children to learn by experience and we value fieldwork as an integral part of the geography curriculum. Our Lady of Lourdes is committed to the following aims: To enable children to gain knowledge and understanding of places in the world; To increase children’s knowledge of other cultures and, in so doing, teach a respect and understanding of what it means to be a positive citizen in a multi-cultural country; To allow children to learn graphic skills, including how to use, draw and interpret maps; To enable children to know and understand environmental problems at a local, regional and global level; To encourage in children a commitment to sustainable development and an appreciation of what ‘global citizenship’ means;To develop a variety of other skills, including those of enquiry, problem solving, ICT, investigation and how to present their conclusions in the most appropriate way. The programmes of study for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 combined with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (Q.C.A.) provide the framework for our planning in Geography. Each year group has an allocated a study unit/ units to cover, within which the key elements and the content of the programmes of study will be covered. When planning geography, we recognise that there is a great deal of scope for crosscurricular work and integration with other subjects. We seek to develop learning across the curriculum through geography wherever opportunities arise.