Vision of Geography at Archbishop Benson School

‘With fun and learning, hand in hand, all things are possible.’

‘I can do all things through Him who strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:13)

At Archbishop Benson, our Geography curriculum is designed to inspire the children’s curiosity and fascination with the world we live in, from our wonderful local environment here in Cornwall to the other side of the world. We aim to provide all our children with rich, hands-on opportunities in and out of the classroom and to develop a deeper understanding of the world through meaningful discussion.

The children will learn about the Earth’s human and physical features and processes, as well as gain an appreciation for where they come from, their heritage and what makes Truro and Cornwall so special to us. We want all our children to feel connected and to take care of our planet, so we feel that it is necessary that they share a love of Geography and History combined.  

Our Geography curriculum is ambitious and balanced, with lessons carefully sequenced to ensure a progression of key geographical skills and knowledge that is revisited across the year groups. All pupils at Archbishop Benson will be supported to experience success in Geography, with work taking a range of forms such as maps, presentations, written explanations and sketches. Through fieldwork and practical experiments, the children will be given the opportunities, skills and confidence to question and observe places, measure and record data, and analyse and present their findings. Teachers will assess the children’s understanding in several ways, ensuring that learning gaps are revisited and barriers to learning are reduced.

Closely linked with our school values, we teach the children to ‘Respect’ our planet and explore ways that we can make an immediate change, which in turn has a ripple effect on the wider world. They are challenged and inspired to be creative; and encouraged to become engaged, independent learners with the ability to articulate their understanding and ideas. As a result, we aspire for our children to become confident, active citizens who have the enthusiasm and skills to contribute positively to the world around them.