Geography

The importance of geography in the curriculum

Geography is the study of relationships between physical and human phenomena that give rise to spatial patterns on the surface of the earth. It is a unique discipline that concerns itself with the relationship between the study of landscape, flora and fauna, the atmosphere, people and culture, the built environment and political territories and this allows students to think about the world in new ways.   

The geography curriculum

The core aim of the curriculum at Harris Academy Riverside is to enable students of Geography to access the bigger picture in terms of the subject and take Geography home with them where they will recognise the content in the real world.

Geography teachers at Harris Academy Riverside deliver lessons that are in line with the core principles of Harris Academy Riverside of mastery, integrity and humanity. These include:

• Creating passion and curiosity about Geography
• Supporting a scholarship curriculum
• Meeting national curriculum and exam board standards for content delivery
• Preparing students for their next steps including awareness of Geography related careers

The curriculum aims to:

• Promote reading outside and beyond the subject
• Encourage students to work collaboratively through the use of fieldwork and enquiry
• Think critically and talk Geographically
• The curriculum at Harris Academy Riverside is a spiralling and cumulative curriculum that allow students to build on knowledge and understanding confidently.
• The curriculum is underpinned by both core and hinterland knowledge which allows students to remember and know more
• Where appropriate, the department has worked to reframe, rephrase and replace content to reflect inclusion and diversity. This is to create a curriculum that represents and creates a narrative that BAME and other minority groups at Harris Academy Riverside can identify with and feel part of.
• The department will move away from the ‘single story’ and ‘othering’ to promote an accurate world view.

Throughout the learning journey 5 ‘big ideas’ are interleaved within the curriculum. These are:

Climate

Geomorphology

Development

Sustainability

Human/Physical Interactions