Teach Primary Issue 19.6

I know there are exceptions to every rule, and one really shouldn’t make sweeping generalisations. Nevertheless, here I go. Is geography not really seen as a priority in your school? Has subject leadership for geography been given to one of your less experienced members of staff, or perhaps as a second or even third subject leadership? The fact is that the packed curriculum, together with the intense focus on results and core subjects, means that geography can be left feeling like it’s fighting for scraps of time and budget. What it needs is a powerful ally in its corner. Thanks to Collins, it might just have found one. The Collins Primary Geography scheme is a complete programme for pupils aged 5 to 11. Written by experts, it provides all the reassurance you need that this is built on a firm foundation, adding heft and credibility to the classroom practitioner’s existing subject knowledge. It nicely balances knowledge acquisition and skills development whilst staying focused on key concepts and highlighting essential vocabulary. And, because it is a coherent, whole-school scheme, you can expect full curriculum coverage plus clear progression. The programme is built on six sets of three books: a Teacher’s Guide, a Pupil Book and a Workbook. These are numbered from 1 to 6 and, although Collins maintains that the books are not necessarily for specific age groups, they are suitable for ages which correspond to most schools’ concepts of Year 1 to Year 6. Essentially, the Teacher’s Guide provides scheme information, planning notes and photocopiable resources. The Pupil Book sets out what you might call the content or taught concepts in a colourful and attractive way (which may include age-appropriate stories, especially for the younger ones). And, as you have no doubt already guessed, the Workbook enables pupils to apply their knowledge through various activities. There are also plenty of opportunities to explore subjects further through discussion and exercises in critical thinking. All told, this programme offers pupils an inspirational introduction to the study of the world in which they live. As someone who is getting exasperated by the propagation of climate denialism by certain high-profile individuals, I was also pleased to see that Collins Primary Geography includes new content that begins to set the record straight about climate change. Furthermore, the hard-copy books are supported by a wealth of online resources, such as editable plans, projectable slides and, for some of the books, relevant audio files. Of course, if you really wanted, you could work your socks off, writing plans from scratch and creating all your own resources. If, however, you have other demands on your time, you will probably find that this programme opens up a whole world of other possibilities, secure in the knowledge that you are doing justice to your pupils when it comes to their geography lessons. A comprehensive package of resources for teaching geography in primary schools AT A GLANCE GEOGRAPHY A series of teacher guides, pupil books and workbooks covering ages 5–11 Supported by a wealth of online teaching materials Created by experts and published by Collins, a trusted brand Provides full curriculum coverage and clear progression Includes new content presenting evidence for, and the consequences of, climate change Individual books from £9.50 collins.co.uk/primarygeography A complete package for primary geography Well-presented materials Detailed yet accessible Authoritative and credible Saves teacher time …you want to provide your school with a ready-made credible, comprehensive and coherent programme for teaching primary geography without the effort. VERD I CT UPGRADE I F . . . REVIEWED BY: MIKE DAVIES Collins Primary Geography www.teachwire.net | 111 RE V I EWS