Geography and History at Midhurst Primary School
The school’s curriculum aims to ensure that children are aware of the geographical and historical aspects of their unique locality alongside a comparative understanding regionally, nationally and globally.
Geographical Purpose of study
Geography at Midhurst Primary School is taught in line with the National Curriculum and aims to cover a range of knowledge and skills. It begins with the development of curiosity that children have about the wider world and this is drawn into many of the topics taught in the two year cycle. Teaching will aim to encompass a range of physical and human geography; ensuring children have an understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. Skills surrounding fieldwork, mapping and surveying will be covered alongside a complementary knowledge-based approach looking at local, regional, national and global locations. These will often be compared and contrasted in order to ensure children have an awareness of the many differences within the world.
Across the primary school, children will find out about different places in the UK, Europe and other continents studying small regions in each, and comparing these to other areas, including their own locality.
In Key Stage 1, children will learn the names of the continents and oceans as well as the names of the four home nations and their respective capital cities. They will use the four main compass directions and simple maps and photographs to explore the local area.
In Key Stage 2, the children will locate the countries of the world, focussing particularly on Europe and the Americas, as well as naming the counties, regions and major cities of the United Kingdom. They will begin to explore geographical features, both physical and human. Through this children will further their knowledge and understanding of the human impact on the Earth. As well as perfecting a range of geographical skills, including compass work and mapping – through interpreting and understanding ordnance survey maps and giving accurate four and six-figure grid references to describe locations.
Historical Purpose of study
All History at Midhurst Primary School begins with a discussion on the importance of chronology and understanding an events own place within time. Children are taught and gain a range of knowledge that covers not only British history but a solid grounding in global history also. All lessons aim to ensure children are using their skills to question, analyse and be critical. This will often include looking at various sources, artefacts, stories and opinions. History at Midhurst Primary School aims to follow a thematic approach – often in line with the topic being taught (or sometimes the main focus). History will always aim to be a subject in which children are encouraged to be curious and ask questions. Children will study a wide variety of key events and eras, thinking carefully about the lessons we can all learn from the past.
Topics taught in Key Stage 1 focus around events within the children’s own memories and locally significant events and key events on our British timeline such as Remembrance Day or the Great Fire of London. They will also focus on specific people within a historical context.
In Key Stage 2 specific British history foci such as Stone Age to Iron Age, Roman Britain, Anglo Saxons and Vikings and A local history study of Midhurst are taught. Alongside this there are non-European studies such as that of the Mayans and an early civilisation – the Ancient Egyptians. The history of British values are also explored through the history of Ancient Greece and its long-term impact on Britain, through areas such as democracy and the Olympics.
Educational Visits
We consider educational visits to be an extremely valuable part of sustaining the children’s first hand experience, especially within the humanities. We firmly believe that children learn best if they use their own senses to develop a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Educational visits encourage children to consider their own and other’s safety and conduct beyond the school environment. We often utilise our beautiful and unique location in the heart of the South Downs National Park in order to undertake visits, both on foot in our historical town of Midhurst and onto the South Downs themselves. We make use of local museums and sights of interest such as Hollycombe Steam Fair, Fishbourne Roman Palace and the Weald and Downland Museum. Further to this, we also take trips further afield, including various national museums, and on our residential to France we sometimes have the opportunity to visit the First World War battlegrounds, which may include a trip to Vimy Ridge.
Link to MPS History skills progression
Link to MPS Geography skills progression