Key Stage 1 · ages 5 to 7
Key Stage 1 geography: what your child learns
In Key Stage 1, children name the seven continents and five oceans, plus the four countries, capital cities and surrounding seas of the United Kingdom. They compare a small area of the UK with a contrasting place outside Europe, and meet weather and seasons, hot and cold places, and words like coast, hill and village. Compass directions, aerial photographs, a simple map with a key and school-grounds fieldwork build the skills.
Guides for parents
Key Stage 1 geography
Aerial photographs and landmarks
How Key Stage 1 children read aerial photographs and plan views to spot landmarks and human and physical features, with a worked example and home ideas.
Key Stage 1 geography
Comparing two places
How Years 1 and 2 compare a small area of the UK with a contrasting area abroad, with a worked comparison, sentence starters, common mistakes and ways to help at home.
Key Stage 1 geography
Compass directions and routes
How Key Stage 1 children use north, south, east and west with words like near, far, left and right to describe where things are and the route between them.
Key Stage 1 geography
7 continents and 5 oceans
What children in Years 1 and 2 learn about the world’s 7 continents and 5 oceans, how globes and atlases are used, common mix-ups and simple ways to help at home.
Key Stage 1 geography
Fieldwork in the school grounds
How Key Stage 1 children do simple geography fieldwork in their school grounds and nearby area, with a worked example, common mistakes and ideas to try at home.
Key Stage 1 geography
Hot and cold places
How Years 1 and 2 learn where the hot and cold places of the world are in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles, with a globe task and home ideas.
Key Stage 1 geography
Towns, villages, farms and ports
What Key Stage 1 children learn about human features: city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour and shop, plus common mix-ups and home ideas.
Key Stage 1 geography
Simple maps, symbols and keys
How Key Stage 1 children draw their own simple maps, invent symbols and write a key, with a worked example, common mistakes and easy ways to practise at home.
Key Stage 1 geography
World maps, atlases and globes
How Key Stage 1 children use maps, atlases and globes to find the United Kingdom, name its four countries and learn the seven continents and five oceans.
Key Stage 1 geography
Coasts, seas and oceans
What Key Stage 1 children learn about the words beach, cliff, coast, sea and ocean, how they differ, the usual mix-ups and easy ideas to try at home.
Key Stage 1 geography
Hills, rivers, forests and soil
What Key Stage 1 children learn about the words forest, hill, mountain, river, soil, valley and vegetation, how they fit together, and simple ways to practise at home.
Key Stage 1 geography
Seas around the UK
How Years 1 and 2 learn the seas and ocean around the United Kingdom, from the North Sea to the Irish Sea, with a worked map task, common mix-ups and home ideas.
Key Stage 1 geography
A contrasting place abroad
What Years 1 and 2 learn when they study a small area of a contrasting non-European country, how schools choose it, common stereotypes to avoid and ideas for home.
Key Stage 1 geography
A small area of the UK
What Years 1 and 2 learn when they study the human and physical geography of a small area of the UK, with a fieldwork example, key vocabulary and ideas for home.
Key Stage 1 geography
UK countries and capitals
How Years 1 and 2 learn the four countries of the United Kingdom and their capital cities, with a worked map example, common mix-ups and easy ways to practise at home.
Key Stage 1 geography
Weather and seasons
How Years 1 and 2 learn about UK weather and the four seasons, with a worked weather chart example, key vocabulary, common mix-ups and simple weather activities at home.
Everything in the Key Stage 1 geography curriculum
The National Curriculum topics for Key Stage 1, in the order the National Curriculum lists them.
Locational knowledge
Place knowledge
Human and physical geography
- Seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom
- Hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the Poles
- Physical features vocabulary: coasts, seas and oceans
- Physical features vocabulary: land, rivers and vegetation
- Human features vocabulary: settlements, buildings and places of work