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15 December 2025
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‘This provides an opportunity for subject leaders to consider their intent, implementation and impact, and make thoughtful adjustments now rather than rapid changes.’Anthony Barlow
Geographical Association committee members shared ideas around curriculum design in primary geography as part of the latest free GeogLive! CPD seminar. Offering support and reflections on the 2025 DfE Curriculum and Assessment Review for England, they asked: what might it mean for you?
The Review suggests geography remain part of the English primary curriculum entitlement, but that this should remain engaging, aspirational and accessible. It’s an evolution with ‘minor refinements’, retaining the current ‘knowledge-rich’ approach. Teachers should also consider how emphases on oracy and how knowledge integrated alongside a skills approach, might be a part of curriculum planning.
Clarity on concepts and progression
The speakers, all members of the Geographical Association’s Early Years and Primary Phase Committee’s (EYPPC), reinforced the importance of geographical concepts.
Place, space, scale and environment might be seen as organising principles to help create curriculum coherence. By considering such ‘components’, we might progress children towards a more ‘composite’ understanding of the subject as a whole.
While these concepts in themselves are unlikely to be used with children, think of the example of place as a concept. Where is it that you teach? What is it like? How is it changing and why? How might learners develop a deep knowledge of this, over time?
Different ages and stages call for different components and pedagogies; contextual approaches are key. The Review suggests that curriculum makers (you!) need to think carefully about the expectations within key stages, and as a committee we hope further exemplification might emerge.
Such materials might come from the Geographical Association and beyond but you can make a start today by seeing support already published in the GA’s Curriculum Framework, research on fieldwork, or mapping resources from the Ordnance Survey.
Procedural knowledge is a type of knowledge where learners apply skills. This might be through geographical enquiry, data collection, or critical usage of sources and mapwork. Speakers said such skills should never be isolated, but might be threads through a series of units of study. Children should learn how geographical knowledge is found, processed and, importantly, applied or tested.
Enquiry and critical thinking
Enquiry as framework for thinking should remain a central feature of geography, the review suggests. The GeogLive! session referred to the enquiry approach creating a genuine ‘need to know’. This is what I sometimes call a ‘big finish’; where any knowledge learned or found is used, applied and an authentic audience is considered. Here learners might ask thoughtful questions, seek evidence and examine different viewpoints. Doing so supports media literacy and builds resilience in interpretation.
Climate change and sustainability
Finally, speakers reminded us of the Curriculum Review’s focus on climate change and sustainability. Geography was described as a ‘natural home’ for this learning because of its links to weather, climate and human environmental interaction.
Looking ahead
The planned timetable for curriculum development gives schools time to reflect and prepare. Final documents are expected for use in 2027, with teaching in 2028. This provides an opportunity for subject leaders to consider their intent, implementation and impact, and make thoughtful adjustments now rather than rapid changes. Good luck – and stay in touch with the committee and GA to hear much, much more!
You can find the full GeogLive! recording on YouTube here.
Keep in touch:
x.com/EYPPC_GA
https://bsky.app/profile/primarygeogeyppc.bsky.social
Anthony Barlow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonybarlowgeogite/
Find out more about the EYPCC
Resources and citations:
https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/curriculum-and-assessment-review
https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/documents/resources/maps-and-mapping-in-the-early-years.pdf
https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/documents/resources/teaching-map-skills- primary.pdf
https://geography.org.uk/high-quality-geography-fieldwork-for-all-report/
Written by Anthony Barlow, Principal Lecturer in geography Education, University of Roehampton, reflecting on the work of Dr Paula Owens, Julia Tanner, Helen Martin and Dr Sharon Witt and the work of the GeogLive! team.
©Anthony Barlow, and the Geographical Association, 2025
