Geography Progression Map
Key Stage 1
Pupils should develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They should understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.
National Curriculum Requirements:
Key Stage 2
Pupils should extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They should develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge.
National Curriculum Requirements:
Knowledge & Skills | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
Locational Knowledge | Name, locate, and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the UK and its surrounding seas. Develop an understanding of their local area through direct fieldwork, including simple route mapping. | Name and locate the world’s continents and oceans. Identify the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the Poles. Recognise the role of the environment in shaping life. | Identify and describe the world’s climate zones and major rivers, including their role in shaping the landscape. Study the geography of the UK and its key regions, including urban and rural contrasts. | Study mountain environments, volcanoes, and earthquakes, including their causes and impact on human settlements. Locate a European region, understanding its geographical significance. | Study rainforests and biomes, exploring their biodiversity and global importance. Investigate trade, food sources, and North America’s diverse landscapes. | Study Antarctica, the Amazon, and South-East Brazil, focusing on extreme environments and their conservation. |
Place Knowledge | Compare their local area with another UK locality, identifying similarities and differences in human and physical features. | Compare their local area with Mugumareno Village, Zambia, identifying differences in climate, landscape, and human activity. | Compare the UK with a region in North America, exploring similarities and differences in environment, economy, and settlement. | Study human and physical geography of a region in Europe, focusing on its climate, topography, and cultural adaptations. | Compare a region in North America with the UK, considering economic, cultural, and environmental factors. | Compare a region in South America with the UK, examining cultural, environmental, and economic contrasts. |
Human & Physical Geography | Identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the UK. Recognise key physical and human features such as parks, roads, shops, rivers, and land use. | Identify key physical features: beach, cliff, coast, forest, mountain, river, valley, vegetation, season. Identify key human features: city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour, shop. Understand how climate influences settlements and ways of living. | Learn about the water cycle and the processes that shape rivers. Identify how human and physical geography interact in river environments. | Learn about tectonic activity, mountain formation, and their effects on human communities. Identify how people adapt to living in challenging environments. | Study human impact on rainforests, including deforestation, conservation, and indigenous communities. Learn about global trade, food supply chains, and their effects on different regions. | Study climate change, its causes, and its impact on ecosystems and human societies. Explore sustainable development and conservation efforts. |
Geographical Skills & Fieldwork | Use maps, atlases, and globes to identify the UK and its countries. Recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features through aerial photos. Devise simple maps, using basic symbols in a key. Conduct fieldwork to explore local geography through observations and data collection. | Use maps, atlases, and globes to identify continents and oceans. Use simple compass directions (North, South, East, and West). Conduct fieldwork linked to local area study, identifying key features and recording observations. Develop early navigation skills. | Use maps, atlases, globes, and digital mapping tools to locate and describe geographical features. Conduct fieldwork related to river studies, including measuring water flow and mapping river features. Develop grid referencing skills. | Use Ordnance Survey maps, digital mapping, and atlases to study landforms. Conduct fieldwork linked to mountains or rivers, including elevation mapping and land use surveys. Develop understanding of four-figure grid references. | Use fieldwork to investigate trade and human geography, conducting surveys and analysing local business links. Interpret different types of maps, including economic and resource distribution maps. Develop six-figure grid referencing skills. | Use six-figure grid references and Ordnance Survey maps to analyse patterns of human settlement and environmental changes. Conduct a local area investigation incorporating mapwork, GIS technology, and data collection. Develop independent enquiry skills. |
This Geography Progression Map aligns with the Long-Term Plan and integrates the Oddizzi framework, ensuring skill progression across all year groups. Adjustments allow for deeper knowledge acquisition, development of geographical skills, and meaningful comparisons across different environments and cultures.