Geography

Geography at Aylesham Primary School

At Aylesham, we want every child to feel curious and excited about the world around them. Our Geography curriculum helps children understand places, people, and environments—starting with our local community and reaching out to the wider world.

Why Geography Matters

Geography isn’t just about maps and countries—it’s about understanding how our world works and how people live. Through Geography, children learn to:

• Explore their local area and take pride in their community.
• Discover amazing places and cultures beyond their own experience.
• Understand physical and human processes that shape our planet.
• Think about sustainability and caring for the environment.

What Makes Our Curriculum Special

Our curriculum develops two types of knowledge:

• Substantive Knowledge – facts and concepts about:

  • Locational Geography
  • Place
  • Physical Geography
  • Human Geography
  • Geography Skills and Fieldwork

• Procedural Knowledge – how to:

  • Carry out fieldwork (observing, measuring, recording, presenting)
  • Use maps and resources
  • Compare and contrast geographical features

Our approach is:

• Ambitious and knowledge-rich – preparing children for secondary school and beyond.
• Sequential and progressive – building on what they already know so learning makes sense.
• Inspiring and engaging – with trips, theme days, and visitors that bring Geography to life.
• Connected – helping children see how different aspects of Geography link together.

We also use the Kapow Primary Scheme of Work, which goes beyond the National Curriculum and supports teachers with high-quality resources and training.

Skills for Life

Children don’t just learn facts—they learn how to:

• Use maps and other resources.
• Carry out fieldwork: observing, measuring, recording, and presenting.
• Compare and contrast places and environments.
• Ask questions and think critically about the world.

Our goal is simple: to inspire curiosity and a love of learning about the world and its people. By the time children leave Aylesham, they will have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to explore and understand the world around them.

Geographers of the Future

At Aylesham, pupils develop an understanding of how the skills they learn in Geography connect to real-world opportunities and future careers.
By exploring places, understanding environments, and learning how people interact with the world, pupils build knowledge and skills that can lead to exciting futures such as:

🌍 Town Planner – designing sustainable and thriving communities.
🛰️ Cartographer – creating maps that help us navigate and understand our world.
🌦️ Meteorologist – studying weather and climate to keep people informed and safe.
🌱 Environmental Consultant – helping protect our planet for future generations.
🧭 Travel Writer or Explorer – discovering and sharing stories from around the globe.
🏫 Teacher – inspiring others to understand and care for the world around them.