Belle Vue Primary School has transformed its geography curriculum following insights from its PTI training with Dr Paula Owens. Responding to pupil voice that revealed limited understanding and low engagement, the school redesigned geography to be meaningful, experiential and rooted in real-world learning.
A major success has been the implementation of a whole-school fieldwork programme, including an annual ‘Fieldwork Week’, enabling every child to act as a geographer both on-site and in the local area. From Reception pupils mapping their playground through stories, to Year 2 exploring the seaside, and Year 5 navigating a mountain walk and reflecting on landscape value, fieldwork is now progressive, purposeful and memorable.
The school has also revolutionised mapping by introducing creative and accessible approaches such as messy mapping, sheet mapping and thematic mapping. This shift has significantly improved pupils’ mapping skills and enthusiasm, evidenced by the strong response to the school-wide ‘My Perfect Place’ mapping competition.
Virtual fieldwork and new partnerships, including work with Eden Rivers Trust and Tullie House, further extend pupils’ geographical horizons. Strong subject leadership and high-quality CPD have ensured that PTI principles are embedded across the school, resulting in confident teachers and pupils who now speak knowledgeably and passionately about geography.
Belle Vue’s curriculum overhaul demonstrates the powerful impact of fieldwork, improved mapping progression and qualitative enquiry in creating a rich, engaging and truly transformative geography education.