At Cambridge Primary School we follow the CUSP scheme of work which builds on previous knowledge, allowing children to make links and connections between different topics. It is carefully scaffolded using the “I do, we do, you do” approach to encourage the children to become independent learners and it gives the children the opportunity to learn and use higher level vocabulary.

The following is taught within each of the year groups:

Year 1 – Our local area (mapping and fieldwork), countries, seas, and capital cities of the UK, continents and oceans, hot and cold climates.

Year 2 – Amazon rainforest, human and physical features of our local area.

Year 3 – Ordnance survey mapwork, rivers, UK study

Year 4 – Water cycle, settlements, Barrow v’s Coniston (Lake District study), European study of the Italian Alps.

Year 5 – Earthquakes and volcanoes, countries and major cities around the world, North American study of Yellowstone National Park.

Year 6 – Wonders of the world, longitude, latitude, hemispheres, time zones, climate zones, biomes, vegetation belts.

The school provides opportunity for children to undertake geographical inquiry, apply skills and techniques, collect and analyse evidence, draw conclusions and communicate findings in a variety of ways e.g. questionnaires, graphs, tables, databases etc. Children use maps at various scales and plans, fieldwork, instruments, I.C.T. and other sources of evidence such as photographs, newspapers and visitors to inform their work.

We think it is very important that children understand that they are part of the Global Community.