2025/2026
Summer 1
Year 3/4 - Western Europe
Key end points of this unit:
- Western Europe includes the countries of France, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria and Switzerland.
- Key cities in this part of Europe include Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and Vienna.
- Western Europe has a temperate climate.
The children studied their own country in their last Geography unit and will now build on that locational knowledge by branching out into Western Europe. They will learn about the climate in this part of the continent and also identify key physical and human features to compare and contrast with their own country. Children will develop their map-reading skills using a variety of map types.
Year 5/6 - New Zealand and the South Pacific
Key end points of this unit:
- New Zealand is a country located in the southern hemisphere in the South Pacific. It is split into the North and South Islands.
- The country is located on a tectonic plate boundary, which makes it susceptible to earthquakes.
- New Zealand is home to a large mountain range called the Southern Alps.
- Britain made the country part of its empire after Captain James Cook arrived.
- The Maori people already inhabited New Zealand before Europeans arrived.
- There are many islands in the South Pacific, including Papa New Guinea, Fiji and Samoa.
Building on last term's study of Australia, the children will deepen their knowledge of nations in the South Pacific by studying New Zealand and some of the island nations. Having previously studied Australia, the children will be able to effectively compare and contrast how the nations of Australia and New Zealand are both similar and different. This will allow the students have more autonomy of their learning and bring prior knowledge to their studies. It will also be an opportunity to build on their understanding of tectonic plates from our units on mountains, earthquakes and volcanoes to help them identify why New Zealand's location is significant.