Learning and undertaking activities in geography contribute to achievement of the curriculum aims for all young people to become:

-	Successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve.
-	Confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.
-	To encourage lifelong participation in sporting activities.

The importance of geography

The study of geography stimulates an interest in, and a sense of wonder about, places and helps make sense of a changing world. It explains how places and landscapes are formed, how people and the environment interact, and how a diverse range of economies and societies are interconnected. It builds on pupils' own experiences to investigate at all scales from the personal to the global.

Geographical enquiry encourages questioning, investigation and critical thinking about issues affecting the world and people's lives, for the present and future. Fieldwork is an essential element of this. Pupils learn to think spatially, using maps, visual images and new technologies, including geographical information systems, to obtain, present and analyse information. Geography inspires pupils to become global citizens by exploring their own place in the world, their values and responsibilities to other people, to the environment and to the sustainability of the planet.

Key concepts

There are a number of key concepts that underpin the study of geography. Pupils need to understand these concepts in order to deepen and broaden their knowledge, skills and understanding. The key concepts include:

-	Place
-	Scale
-	Interdependence
-	Environmental interaction
-	Physical and human processes
-	Cultural understanding and diversity

Key processes

These are the essential skills and processes in geography that pupils need to learn to make progress.

-	Geographical enquiry
-	Fieldwork and out-of-class learning
-	Graphicacy and visual literacy
-	Geographical communication