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On analysis it is clear the emphasis in the primary Geography curriculum has shifted noticeably from developing enquiry skills to acquiring geographical knowledge. Although students are still required to develop practical skills in fieldwork, compass reading and map reading, they are no longer explicitly required to ask geographical questions, analyse evidence or draw conclusions.
However, in the subject’s ‘Purpose of Study’ it is stated a high-quality geographical education should, “inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination… together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes”. It does not require or suggest any specific pedagogy, leaving teaching and learning approaches for schools to decide.
Changes at KS.2:
- Geographical enquiry skills now termed as Geographical skills and fieldwork
- No longer requirement for students to ask geographical questions or express their own views, analyse evidence & draw conclusions
- Introduction of developing compass skills and map reading skills – use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key
- New requirements:
- locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities
- name and locate counties and cities of the UK, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features & land-use patterns; & understand how some of these aspects have changed over time
- identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)
- Note: C2000 provided a list of examples of significant places & the environment to be learnt in KS2 which closely resembles the required list in the new curriculum.
- The section in the old curriculum on Environmental change and sustainable development has been dropped
KS.2 Programmes of Study
| Curriculum 2000 | New Curriculum | Changes |
Geographical enquiry and skillsIn undertaking geographical enquiry, pupils should be taught to:
In developing geographical skills, pupils should be taught:
|
Geographical skills and fieldwork
|
New curriculum requires:
|
PlacesPupils should be taught to:
|
Location knowledge
Place knowledge
|
New requirements:
|
Patterns and processesPupils should be taught to:
|
Although this unit has been dropped from the new curriculum as an explicit study, patterns & processes do appear in the other units in the new curriculum. | |
Environmental change and sustainable developmentPupils should be taught to:
|
The section in the old curriculum on Environmental change and sustainable development has been dropped
|
|
Human and physical geography describe and understand key aspects of:
|
This is a new unit, however, much of the content in this unit appeared in different places in the old curriculum. | |
| Breadth of studythe study of two localities:
Localities
Themes
In their study of localities and themes, pupils should:
|
The new curriculum does not contain guidance on breadth of study. |
Your own two paragraphs explain why the table is, ultimately, a fruitless exercise: it is not about moving compliantly from one model to another. The purpose of the new specification of the national curriculum is such that the professional conversation is now about ‘what school curriculum do we want here?’
The pedagogy of enquiry geography remains valid and can provide the ‘how’ to ‘teaching and learning’ which is missing from NC2014. We don’t need to invent new pedagogies to fill the gap left by the new curriculum.
Similarly, the section heading of ‘environmental change and sustainable development’ may not appear but the concepts quite clearly remain. As they should always have been explored with specific locational contexts one should have little difficulty in matching those with ‘knowledge’ specified. There will need to be adjustment, but these should always be under review anyway.
I look forward to *more* enquiry geography in KS2 with a clearer understanding of what is being learned – and why.
There is scope for professional optimism if it is approached in the right way.
I agree Angus. I wondered if the changes in Geography where entirely cosmetic or if there was a real and substantive shift from an enquiry focus to a knowledge focus. My conclusion is that enquiry is still an important strand, but whereas it was front and centre of C2000, it is now lurking in the shadows.
My guess is most primary schools will not substantially alter the way they teach Geography, apart from more of an emphasis on geographical facts – names and places etc. – and that asking questions, gathering evidence and expressing opinions will still be important elements of a good education in the subject.