Long-term overview - Europe - Year 4

In the Year 4 Geography curriculum, students are expected to develop a comprehensive understanding of Europe's geography, as outlined in the National Curriculum for Key Stage 2. This includes the ability to locate various countries on a map, with a particular focus on Europe, including Russia, as well as North and South America. They are encouraged to explore environmental regions and identify key physical and human characteristics, major cities, and countries. Substantive knowledge gained will include the names and locations of at least eight European countries and their capitals, as well as discerning at least five distinct differences between life in the UK and a Mediterranean country. Additionally, students will learn about the key characteristics that define the Mediterranean region.

The curriculum also delves into the reasons behind the popularity of the Mediterranean as a holiday destination for British people. It prompts students to investigate the location of the Mediterranean, the countries that border it, and their specific attributes. Through this exploration, students will compare and contrast Mediterranean holiday resorts with those in the UK, and understand the significance of events like Brexit in the context of geography. Disciplinary knowledge is further developed through geographical skills and fieldwork, such as describing places, creating field sketches, understanding country reformation, and using measurements to compare locations. Students will also learn to differentiate between the Northern and Southern hemispheres and use graphs to record and compare climatic features worldwide, enhancing their understanding of how the UK's human and physical features differ from those of Mediterranean countries.