Brockmoor Primary School: Geography Curriculum

A Curriculum That Develops Knowledgeable, Inquisitive, and Globally Aware Geographers

At Brockmoor Primary School, we believe that geography is essential for understanding the world and our place within it. Our CUSP (Curriculum with Unity Schools Partnership) Geography Curriculum enables pupils to develop a deep understanding of place, space, and the relationships between people and their environments.

Our geography curriculum ensures that pupils:

🌍 Develop locational knowledge – Understanding where places are and why they matter.
🗺 Think like geographers – Engaging in fieldwork, data analysis, and map skills.
🏔 Explore human and physical geography – Understanding the interactions between people and the natural world.
📊 Master geographical enquiry – Asking and answering questions about the world using evidence.
🔄 Make connections over time – Understanding how environments and societies change.

Our ambition is that every child leaves Brockmoor as a confident, inquisitive, and informed global citizen, fully prepared for the complexities of an interconnected world.

As part of our commitment to enriching the geography curriculum, we are currently working towards achieving the Geography Quality Mark, ensuring that our provision is recognised for excellence and that pupils receive a high-quality geography education. We are also hosting the CUSP Food Festival, giving pupils the opportunity to explore global cuisines, understand the impact of food production on the environment, and make links between geography and sustainability.

A Knowledge-Rich, Concept-Driven Geography Curriculum

The CUSP Geography Curriculum ensures that pupils develop a deep, structured understanding of geography through:

✅ Locational Knowledge – Understanding where places are and how they are connected.
✅ Place Knowledge – Exploring similarities and differences between locations worldwide.
✅ Human and Physical Geography – Studying natural and human processes and their impact.
✅ Geographical Skills and Fieldwork – Applying knowledge through mapping, data collection, and analysis.
✅ Explicit Vocabulary Instruction – Teaching tiered geographical vocabulary to enable pupils to articulate ideas clearly.

This structured approach ensures that geography is meaningful, engaging, and builds upon prior knowledge.

Geography in the Early Years: Building the Foundations of Geographical Thinking

In EYFS, geography is embedded within "Understanding the World," where children begin to:

📍 Recognise Their Local Environment – Understanding features of their home, school, and community.
🌍 Develop a Sense of Place – Learning about different locations through stories and discussions.
🗺 Explore Simple Maps and Directions – Developing early spatial awareness.
🧭 Observe Seasonal Changes – Identifying how weather and environments change over time.

These early experiences lay the groundwork for future geographical learning.

The Structure of a CUSP Geography Lesson

Each geography lesson follows a structured, research-based model, ensuring deep understanding and geographical enquiry.

Lesson Phases

1️⃣ Connect – Activating prior knowledge and linking to previous learning.
2️⃣ Explain – Explicitly teaching vocabulary, concepts, and skills.
3️⃣ Example – Providing modelled examples of geographical thinking and processes.
4️⃣ Attempt – Pupils engage in structured tasks that develop geographical skills.
5️⃣ Apply – Independent application of learning through maps, fieldwork, or extended responses.
6️⃣ Challenge – Encouraging higher-order thinking through discussion and comparative tasks.

This ensures that pupils progressively build their knowledge and skills over time.

CUSP Geography: Core Strands of Learning

The CUSP Geography Curriculum is built around five key geographical concepts that pupils revisit and deepen across year groups:

1. Locational Knowledge: Understanding the World’s Places

📍 Naming and locating continents, oceans, and key countries.
📌 Understanding absolute and relative locations (latitude, longitude, Equator, hemispheres).
🗺 Developing mental maps of the UK, Europe, and the wider world.

2. Place Knowledge: Comparing and Contrasting Locations

🏡 Comparing local, national, and global locations.
🌍 Exploring how places are shaped by culture, climate, and economy.

3. Human and Physical Geography: Understanding Natural and Human Processes

🏞 Identifying landforms, biomes, climate zones, and natural disasters.
🏙 Exploring urbanisation, migration, trade, and environmental change.

4. Geographical Skills and Fieldwork: Thinking Like a Geographer

🗺 Using maps, globes, aerial photographs, and GIS tools.
📍 Conducting fieldwork, data collection, and analysis.
📖 Developing research and critical thinking skills through enquiry.

5. Environmental Impact and Sustainability

♻️ Understanding human impact on the environment.
🌱 Exploring sustainable development, conservation, and climate change.

This conceptual approach ensures that pupils develop a deep, interconnected understanding of geography.

The CUSP Geography Curriculum: Progression Across Key Stages

Key Stage 1: Exploring the Local and Global World

📌 Year 1 – Continents, oceans, UK geography, and simple fieldwork.
📌 Year 2 – Human and physical geography of the local area and a contrasting non-European country (London and Nairobi).

Lower Key Stage 2: Expanding Geographical Understanding

📌 Year 3 – UK geography, fieldwork on local landscapes, and map reading.
📌 Year 4 – Rivers, the water cycle, latitude and longitude, and environmental regions.

Upper Key Stage 2: Developing Complex Geographical Thinking

📌 Year 5 – Biomes, world cities, and economic geography.
📌 Year 6 – Natural disasters (earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains), settlements, migration, and trade.

By Year 6, pupils have developed a broad, connected understanding of geography, preparing them for KS3 and beyond.

Local Geography: Exploring Our Community

To ensure geography is meaningful and relevant, pupils engage in local studies that explore how geography shapes their own environment:

📍 Year 2: How Has Our Local Area Changed Over Time?
🏡 Exploring Brockmoor’s geography – Investigating changes in land use, transport, and industry.
🗺 Mapping local landmarks – Using maps to compare historical and modern Brockmoor.

📍 Year 6: How Did World War II Impact Our Local Area?
🏭 Investigating how wartime industries shaped our town.
🛠 Exploring bomb sites, evacuee experiences, and wartime rationing in our community.

These local studies bring geography to life, helping pupils make personal connections to their learning.

Assessment and Feedback: Measuring Geographical Progression

📊 Formative Assessment – Daily questioning, discussion, and retrieval quizzes.
🗺 Fieldwork and Mapping Tasks – Applying knowledge through hands-on geographical study.
📖 Structured Writing Tasks – Developing pupils' ability to explain, justify, and analyse geographical concepts.

These strategies ensure that pupils develop secure knowledge and geographical thinking skills.

Further Information

For more details, including:
📌 CUSP Geography Knowledge Documents
📌 Curriculum Overviews
📌 Home Learning and Fieldwork Activities

Please contact our Curriculum Lead, Tom Amphlett, at info@brockmoor.dudley.sch.uk. 🚀