Intent, Implementation, Impact

Intent

At Haslam Park Primary School, Geography plays a vital role in developing pupils’ understanding of the world, its people and places, and the physical and human processes that shape it. Our geography curriculum, supported by the Odizzi Geography scheme of work, is designed to inspire curiosity and equip pupils with the knowledge, skills and vocabulary needed to understand their place in the world. The curriculum is carefully sequenced to ensure progression in geographical knowledge and skills and is enriched through regular fieldwork and purposeful use of the local context. Geography also contributes positively to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development by fostering respect for people, places and the environment. We aim for pupils to leave Haslam Park as confident, inquisitive geographers, well prepared for further education and life beyond primary school.

Implementation

Geography is taught in alternating blocks with History to allow pupils to develop depth of understanding. The Odizzi Geography scheme ensures full coverage of the National Curriculum and clear progression in knowledge, skills and vocabulary across year groups. Fieldwork is embedded in every year group, enabling pupils to apply their learning in real-world contexts and develop key geographical skills such as observation, enquiry, map reading and data collection. The local area is used effectively to bring learning to life. In Year 4, pupils walk to the River Croal to observe and identify key river features, supporting their understanding of physical geography through first-hand experience. Lessons are adapted to meet pupils’ starting points, with prior knowledge revisited at the start of each unit. Teaching is inclusive and provides appropriate challenge and support for all learners, including opportunities for greater depth. In Year 5, pupils take part in a high-quality fieldwork visit to Rivington Pike, which acts as a ‘show stopper’ experience within the curriculum. This visit enables pupils to explore and compare human and physical geographical features, apply fieldwork and map skills, and deepen their understanding of landscapes and land use.

To develop pupils’ competence in navigation and map-reading, we hold an annual Map Reading and Orienteering Day for all year groups. During this event, pupils take part in a range of geographical activities that focus on using Ordnance Survey (OS) maps, the school’s orienteering plaques and atlases to practise locating places, interpreting symbols and developing their directional skills. Impact Pupils develop a secure and progressively deeper understanding of geographical knowledge and skills. They use subject-specific vocabulary accurately, ask relevant geographical questions and confidently apply fieldwork skills to investigate places and environments. Work in geography books demonstrates a broad and balanced curriculum and clear progression over time, including evidence of regular fieldwork and use of the local context. Pupils reflect on their learning, assess their progress against lesson objectives and use Knowledge Organisers to support retrieval and retention. Enrichment opportunities, such as a whole-school map reading and orienteering day, further strengthen pupils’ disciplinary knowledge as geographers. During this event, pupils apply their understanding of maps, symbols, scale and direction in a practical context, navigating the school grounds and local environment. This supports pupils to transfer classroom knowledge into real-world situations, improving their confidence, problem-solving skills and spatial awareness.

Impact

is measured via our approach to foundation subject assessment which is designed to measure retention. Assessment follows a clear cycle of curriculum coverage, daily reviews, end-of-year ‘Mastermind’ quizzes, targeted teaching and retesting. Daily reviews support knowledge retention, while Mastermind quizzes identify gaps and misconceptions. Teachers address these through targeted teaching in the following autumn term, with spring retests used to evaluate the impact of this approach and check longer-term retention. Ongoing pupil voice, with targeted participation from SEND and disadvantaged pupils, provides further quality assurance of teaching, understanding and retention. By the time pupils leave Haslam Park, they have a strong understanding of their local area and its place within the wider world. They are confident, capable geographers who can apply their knowledge in both classroom and real-life contexts and are well prepared for the demands of Key Stage 3 and beyond.