At Marlborough St Mary's, we have a vibrant and engaging curriculum that welcomes every child. Our approach is hands-on and inclusive, fostering curiosity and resilience through practical, cross-curricular activities. Rooted in Christian values and a nurturing environment, we nurture creativity, imagination, and a love for learning. Our goal is to empower students with independence and lifelong learning skills. Our curriculum is challenging, sequential, and forward-looking, connecting knowledge and skills to real-life experiences. This prepares our pupils to become active members of the Marlborough community and responsible global citizens.

Subject Intent - Geography:

At Marlborough St Mary’s, our Geography curriculum is designed to give children a real sense of the world around them. Pupils explore both their local area of Marlborough and places further afield, helping them understand their place within our vast, ever-changing world. Through investigating local, national, and global locations, children learn about the Earth’s physical and human features, fostering an understanding of our world’s interdependence. This awareness helps pupils recognise their rights and responsibilities toward others and the environment.

We encourage all children to develop a passion for Geography as an exciting and diverse subject. Curiosity and enquiry skills are at the heart of our lessons, allowing students to ask and answer questions that deepen their geographical knowledge and expand their vocabulary. We’re committed to ensuring that disadvantaged learners receive the targeted support and enrichment needed to access these high-quality learning experiences, giving all pupils the tools they need to succeed.

Through High-Quality Teaching, We Develop Key Characteristics of Marlborough St Mary’s Geographers:

• A strong sense of curiosity and pride in learning about our world and its diverse communities.
• Excellent knowledge of place locations and their human and physical features, including our local area, Great Britain, and the wider world.
• A thorough understanding of how places are interconnected and interdependent.
• A broad geographical vocabulary, with the ability to confidently talk about their understanding and express ideas through discussion.
• Excellent fieldwork skills, developed where appropriate for each topic.

With Read, Talk, Pride, and Marlborough as our guiding principles, Geography at Marlborough St Mary’s empowers every child to explore, question, and engage with the world around them.

Curriculum Implementation:

At Marlborough St Mary’s, we aim to ensure every child achieves their best in Geography by building a strong foundation in key vocabulary and teaching them how to use it to explain their understanding. Pupils have access to high-quality geographical resources, allowing them to independently read and research our topics, broadening their understanding of the world. For disadvantaged learners, we provide additional support and guidance to ensure they have equitable access to these resources and can fully participate in lessons.

Our teachers bring Geography to life with real-world examples and hands-on learning experiences. For instance, KS1 children explore maps of Marlborough before taking a trip to observe the local area, fostering pride in their community. Our curriculum follows the National Curriculum, with clear progression in skills and knowledge to ensure that each lesson builds on previous learning. Disadvantaged pupils receive targeted support to close any gaps in understanding, while effective questioning deepens every child’s understanding and encourages them to develop their own enquiry skills.

Through Read, Talk, Pride, and Marlborough, our Geography curriculum helps children become confident, curious learners who can explore and appreciate the diverse world around them.

Impact:

The impact we are aiming to achieve are children who are geographers, who have a keen interest in the world around them and are inquisitive, curious and take pride in our surroundings. (3) To measure the impact of Geography on our young learner’s, regular pupil voice sessions will be carried for the children to share their learning and knowledge. (1)  Displays and books will be used to celebrate children’s learning and to evidence the range of stimulating activities in which pupils have been engaged in. (3) For disadvantaged learners, our aim is to close the attainment gap by providing additional support and opportunities that foster the same level of curiosity and engagement as their peers. Regular monitoring will ensure they develop a strong geographical vocabulary and understanding, building their confidence to share and apply their knowledge in discussions. 

By the time our children leave Marlborough St Mary’s school they will:  

• Have a good knowledge of where places are and what they are like.  

• Have an extensive base of geographical knowledge and vocabulary to support them in their further education (1 and 2).

• Have a passion for and commitment to the subject, and a real sense of curiosity to find out about the world and the people who live there.  

• Be empowered to overcome barriers and make meaningful contributions to discussions about geography and the world around them (1 and 3). 

• Be proud of their local area and the wider world and know ways in which they can help to protect and enjoy the environment around them (3 and 4).