Download Geography statutory requirements in year groups DOCX File

Geography- Statutory curriculum
Reception
Understanding the
World
The world:

children know
about similarities
and differences
in relation to
places, objects,
materials and
living things. They
talk about the
features of their
own immediate
environment and
how environments
might vary from
one another. They
make
observations of
animals and plants
and explain why
some things
occur, and talk
about changes.
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Locational knowledge

Name, locate &
identify
characteristics of
the 4 countries and
capital cities of the
UK & its surrounding
seas.
Locational knowledge

Name & locate the
World’s 7 continents
& 5 oceans.
Locational knowledge

Locate the World’s
countries, using maps
to focus on Europe
(including the
location of Russia)
concentrating on
their environmental
regions, key physical
& human
characteristics,
countries & major
cities.
Locational knowledge

Locate the World’s
countries, using maps
to focus on North &
South America,
concentrating on
their environmental
regions, key physical
& human
characteristics,
countries & major
cities.
Locational knowledge

Identify the position &
significance of latitude,
longitude, equator,
Northern Hemisphere,
Southern Hemisphere,
the Tropics of Cancer
& Capricorn, Arctic &
Antarctic Circle, the
Prime/Greenwich
Meridian & time zones
(including day & night).
Place Knowledge

Understand
geographical
similarities &
differences through
studying the human &
physical geography
of a small area of
the UK.
Place Knowledge

Understand
geographical
similarities &
differences through
studying the human
& physical geography
of a small area in a
contrasting nonEuropean country.
Human & physical
geography

Identify the location
of hot & cold areas
of the world in
relation to the
Equator & the North
& South Poles.

Use basic
geographical
vocabulary to refer
to:
Physical features:
Valley, vegetation (plus
Yr1 vocab)
Human features:
Port, harbour (plus Y1
vocab).
Place Knowledge

Understand
geographical
similarities &
differences through
the study of human &
physical geography
of a region of the
UK.
Place Knowledge

Understand
geographical
similarities &
differences through
the study of human &
physical geography
of a region in a
European country.
Human & physical
geography

Describe &
understand:
Physical geography- river
& mountains.
Human geography- types
of settlement & land use.
Human & physical
geography

Describe &
understand:
Physical geographyvolcanoes & earthquakes.
Locational knowledge

Name & locate counties
& cities of the UK,
geographical regions &
their identifying human
& physical
characteristics, key
topographical features
(including hills,
mountains, coasts &
rivers), & land use
patterns; & understand
how some of these
aspects have changed
over time.
Place Knowledge

Understand
geographical
similarities &
differences through
the study of human
& physical geography
of a region within
North or South
America.
Human & physical
geography

Describe &
understand:
Physical geography- the
water cycle.
Human geographyeconomic activity including
trade links.
Human & physical
geography

Identify seasonal &
daily weather
patterns in the UK.

Use basic
geographical
vocabulary to refer
to:
Physical features: beach,
cliff, coast, forest,
mountain, sea, ocean,
river, soil, season &
weather,
Human features: city,
town, village, factory,
farm, house, office, shop.
Place Knowledge
Human & physical
geography

Describe & understand:
Physical geography- climate
zones, biomes & vegetation
belts.
Human geography- economic
activity including the
distribution of natural
resources (including energy,
food, minerals & water).
Geographical skills &
fieldwork

Use World maps,
atlases & globes to
identify the UK & its
countries.

Use aerial
photographs & plan
perspectives to
recognise landmarks
& basic human &
physical features,

Use simple fieldwork
& observational skills
to study the
geography off their
school & its grounds
& the key human &
physical features of
its surrounding
environment.
Geographical skills &
fieldwork

Use World maps,
atlases & globes to
identify the
countries, continents
& oceans studied.

Use simple compass
directions (North,
South, East & West)
and locational &
directional language
to describe the
location of features
& routes on a map.

Devise a simple map;
and use & construct
basic symbols in a
key.
Geographical skills &
fieldwork

Use maps, atlases,
globes &
digital/computer
mapping to locate
countries & describe
features studied.
Geographical skills &
fieldwork

Use the eight points
of a compass, four &
six figure grid
references, symbols
& key (including the
use of ordnance
survey maps) to build
their knowledge of
the UK & the wider
world.
Geographical skills &
fieldwork
Geographical skills &
fieldwork
Use fieldwork to observe,
measure & record the human
& physical features in the
local area using a range of
methods, including sketch
maps, plans, graphs and
digital technologies.