United Kingdom · National Curriculum Attainment Targets
Year 1 Geography
An introductory course designed to foster curiosity about the local environment and the wider world. Students develop foundational map skills and explore the relationship between people and their physical surroundings.
01Mapping Our School and Home
Students explore their immediate surroundings to understand spatial relationships and the purpose of basic maps.
An introduction to looking at the world from an aerial perspective and understanding symbols.
Practical fieldwork to identify key features of the school environment and record them on a simple plan.
Learning basic directional language such as near, far, left, and right to describe locations.
Students will draw a simple map of their classroom, including key objects and using basic symbols.
Students will describe and draw their journey from home to school, identifying landmarks.
Introduction to how objects look smaller when further away and how this applies to maps.
Students create their own simple treasure map using symbols and directional language.
02The United Kingdom
A study of the four countries and capital cities that make up the United Kingdom.
Identifying England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland on a map of the British Isles.
Locating the major capital cities and exploring their famous landmarks.
Naming and locating the seas that surround the United Kingdom.
Discovering iconic natural and human-made landmarks across the UK.
An introduction to diverse foods and cultural traditions found within the UK.
Placing our school's location within the context of its country and the wider UK.
Learning about the flags and national flowers of the four UK nations.
03Weather and Seasons
Observing and recording weather patterns in the UK and understanding how they change through the year.
Identifying the characteristics of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter in the UK.
Using simple tools to observe and record daily weather data.
Exploring weather types that are unusual or impactful in the UK.
An introduction to how meteorologists predict weather and the importance of forecasts.
Exploring how different animals adapt their behaviour to the changing seasons.
Investigating how plants change and grow throughout the year in different seasons.
Students will keep a simple weather diary, recording observations and using basic weather vocabulary.
04The Seven Continents
An introduction to the massive landmasses and oceans that make up our planet.
Learning the names and locations of the seven continents.
Identifying the major bodies of water that separate the continents.
Generalizing the physical features found on different continents like deserts or rainforests.
Matching specific animals to their native continents and understanding their habitats.
A brief look at the diverse cultures and ways of life across the continents.
Using globes and digital maps to take a virtual journey to different continents.
05Hot and Cold Places
Comparing the Equator and the North and South Poles to understand global temperature variations.
Exploring why the middle of the Earth is consistently hot and sunny.
Investigating the icy landscapes of the Arctic and Antarctic.
Comparing the daily lives of people living in very hot and very cold regions.
Focusing on animals that thrive in hot environments like deserts and rainforests.
Focusing on animals that thrive in cold environments like the Arctic and Antarctic.
Examining the different types of landforms and vegetation found in hot versus cold regions.
An introduction to the idea of different temperature zones around the world (hot, temperate, cold).
06Human and Physical Features
Distinguishing between things made by nature and things made by people.
Identifying physical features like mountains, rivers, and forests.
Identifying human features like offices, houses, and bridges.
Exploring how humans change the physical environment to suit their needs.
A local walk to identify and record physical features in the school's immediate environment.
A local walk to identify and record human-made features in the school's immediate environment.
Understanding the importance of looking after both natural and human-made features.
Introduction to natural resources (e.g., water, wood) and how humans use them.
Understanding the importance of recycling and how we can reduce waste to protect our environment.