Geography at Wicor

Start local. Think wider. Understand more.

Geography at Wicor helps children make sense of the world - beginning with the places they know and gradually widening their understanding beyond them. We want pupils to leave us curious, informed and able to think critically about the environments and communities they encounter.

Our enquiry-led approach encourages children to think like geographers: asking questions, analysing evidence and explaining the physical and human processes that shape the world.

We begin close to home. Pupils explore our school grounds and local area, developing skills in observation, mapping and fieldwork. This strong sense of place underpins their learning as they move on to study the UK, Europe and beyond.

A key feature of our curriculum is the sustained study of national parks, including The New Forest, South Downs, Dartmoor, The Broads and Cairngorms. By revisiting and comparing these contrasting landscapes, pupils develop a connected understanding of environments such as heathland, wetlands, chalk downland and mountains. A Year 6 residential visit to Dartmoor provides valuable first-hand fieldwork experience.

Fieldwork is central to learning. Pupils investigate real environments, collect and analyse data, use maps (including Ordnance Survey), and interpret aerial and digital mapping. This brings geography to life and deepens understanding.

Through comparing places, pupils learn how landscapes differ, how they are used, and how they are managed to balance conservation, tourism and community needs. Environmental responsibility is woven throughout, helping pupils understand how people shape - and protect - the world.

By the time they leave Wicor, pupils have secure geographical knowledge, strong enquiry skills and a genuine curiosity about the world. They can explain how places change and are ready to engage thoughtfully with an ever-changing planet.

Year 2 tucked into a taste of England! As part of their journey through the four countries of the UK, our young explorers sampled some classic English favourites:

🍽️ Sausage rolls

🍽️ Stuffing

🍽️ Scones

🍽️ Yorkshire pudding

Learning never tasted so good and what better way to bring history and culture to life than through food!

English food

After sharing England’s classics, Year 2 set out to taste the traditions of each nation…

🥧 Scotland - porridge, shortbread, tattie cake, tablet

🍀 Northern Ireland – hearty Irish stew with soda bread, fifteens, potato cake

🐉 Wales – rarebit, Welsh soup, bara brith, Welsh cake

Every plate was a story, every bite a tradition and Year 2 loved discovering them all!

UK Food

Children began this unit of work by learning what trade is and finding out where the foods we eat come from around the world. They then learnt when trade became global, how trade has changed over time and interrogated a timeline of when foods were first imported to the UK. Children then learnt about why we import goods, which included climate and cost. They revised the countries and oceans. Children moved on to see how many people are involved in the process of trade and learnt about the supply chain. The term ‘fairtrade’ was introduced and explained; they then learnt about fairtrade bananas and chocolate, at their supply chain and the specific countries that grow these crops. Children then researched the world’s biggest palm oil producer (Indonesia) and created a poster about the problems of palm oil along with some solutions. They then applied their knowledge on Fairtrade by visiting the local Co-op. Children tasted both fairtrade and non-fairtrade goods and discussed any differences. They brought this learning together by writing a letter to supermarket owners asking them to consider stop selling food that is not fairtrade. To round up this unit of work, children identified how these goods are transported across the oceans, looking in particular at our local shipping port, as well as tracking specific vessels in the oceans globally.

Trade Y4

Year 6 Rivers.mp4

A Year 6 child's booklet on the River Thames