Geography
Geography is the tapestry that weaves the world together.
Gil Grosvenor
Why geography?
At RPS, we teach geography to help children make sense of the world around them. Geography inspires curiosity about places, people, and environments—locally, nationally, and globally. It encourages children to ask questions, explore different cultures, and understand how human and natural processes shape our planet.
Through geography, children learn to use maps, globes, and digital tools to investigate real-world issues such as climate change, sustainability, and global interdependence. They develop important skills in observation, enquiry, and communication, which support learning across the curriculum. Geography also helps children appreciate their local area and understand their role as responsible global citizens.
Geography intent
An RPS child will be inspired, curious and fascinated about the world and its people. They will gain knowledge of diverse places, the local area, resources, natural and human environments, and the formation of landscapes. They will understand how the world around us can be affected by our actions.
Key geography knowledge and skills
Our curriculum is designed to build knowledge and skills progressively from Early Years through to Year 6.
Key Knowledge Includes:
- Locational Knowledge: Children learn to name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans, the countries and capital cities of the UK, and significant global places. They also explore geographical features such as mountains, rivers, coasts, and climate zones.
- Place Knowledge: Pupils compare and contrast different regions, including their own local area and places around the world, developing an understanding of human and physical geography in context.
- Human and Physical Geography: Children explore natural processes like the water cycle, weather patterns, and volcanoes, as well as human features such as settlements, land use, and economic activity.
Key Skills Include:
- Map and Fieldwork Skills: Pupils learn to use maps, atlases, globes, and digital mapping tools (like Digimaps) to locate places and interpret geographical information. They also take part in fieldwork, such as exploring their local area, using aerial photographs, and planning routes using directional language.
- Enquiry and Communication: Children are encouraged to ask geographical questions, gather and analyse data, and present their findings using maps, diagrams, and written reports. They learn to think critically about how places are connected and how they change over time.
How geography is taught
At RPS, geography is taught through an engaging, enquiry-based approach that helps children make sense of the world around them. Our curriculum is designed to build curiosity and deepen understanding of places, people, and environments—locally, nationally, and globally.
Children explore key geographical concepts through hands-on experiences such as map work, fieldwork, and real-world problem solving. For example, use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to explore their school and local area, learning to follow routes, identify landmarks, and describe physical and human features using directional language. They even plan and take part in a walk around Romsey, applying their knowledge to create maps and symbols, and reflecting on what makes Romsey a great place to live.
Geography overview