Geographical Skills and Fieldwork
KS2GE-KS2-D004
Using maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features; using 8-point compass, 4 and 6-figure grid references, symbols and key features of Ordnance Survey maps; planning and conducting fieldwork in the local environment and further afield.
National Curriculum context
Geographical skills at KS2 develop substantially in precision and range. Pupils extend their use of compass directions from four to eight points; they learn to use grid references to locate specific points on Ordnance Survey maps with increasing precision; and they develop the ability to interpret the conventional symbols and topographic information on standard UK maps. Digital and computer mapping tools introduce pupils to GIS (geographical information systems) and satellite mapping as contemporary geographical technologies. Fieldwork at KS2 extends beyond the school grounds to include the wider local environment, incorporating the collection of primary data through observation, sketch maps, plans, graphs and digital technologies. These skills equip pupils to conduct genuine geographical enquiry, asking questions about the world and gathering evidence to answer them.
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Concepts
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Clusters
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Prerequisites
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With difficulty levels
Lesson Clusters
Use Ordnance Survey maps and grid references to navigate and describe the landscape
practice CuratedSingle concept domain; OS maps and grid references represent the core KS2 cartographic skill — pupils move from general atlas use to the specialist detail of topographic maps, interpreting contours, symbols and four/six-figure grid references.
Teaching Suggestions (4)
Study units and activities that deliver concepts in this domain.
Americas Regional Study
Geography Study Place StudyPedagogical rationale
The Americas regional study is a statutory requirement that provides the most geographically distant and environmentally contrasting region study at KS2. Schools select a specific region, exposing pupils to dramatically different physical environments, economies, and cultures while developing the same comparative analytical framework used for UK and European studies.
European Regional Study
Geography Study Place StudyPedagogical rationale
The European regional study is a statutory requirement that extends pupils' geographical horizons beyond the UK to a contrasting European environment. Schools select a specific region, enabling comparison of how physical geography, climate, and culture shape human activity differently in a European context compared to the UK region already studied. This builds the comparative skills essential to geographical thinking.
Geographical Skills and Fieldwork
Geography Study FieldworkPedagogical rationale
Geographical skills and fieldwork are a statutory KS2 requirement that should be embedded across all topic studies, not taught as a standalone unit. However, dedicated skills teaching ensures pupils develop competence with OS maps, grid references, compass directions, and digital mapping tools before applying them in fieldwork contexts.
UK Regional Study
Geography Study Place StudyPedagogical rationale
The UK regional study is a statutory requirement that deepens pupils' knowledge of their own country beyond the local area studied at KS1. Schools select a specific region, enabling the study of how physical geography (relief, rivers, climate) shapes human activity (settlement, farming, tourism) at a regional scale. This develops the analytical framework that pupils will apply to European and American regions.
Prerequisites
Concepts from other domains that pupils should know before this domain.
Concepts (1)
Ordnance Survey Maps and Grid References
skill Specialist TeacherGE-KS2-C005
Ordnance Survey (OS) maps are detailed topographic maps of Great Britain produced to standard conventions, using a national grid reference system, contour lines to represent relief, and a comprehensive set of conventional symbols. Four-figure grid references identify a 1km grid square; six-figure grid references identify a 100m square within that. The OS map is the primary tool for geographical fieldwork and navigation in the UK context, and the skills required to use it effectively - reading symbols, using grid references, interpreting contours - are core geographical competencies at KS2.
Teaching guidance
Teach grid references systematically: 'along the corridor and up the stairs' as a mnemonic for reading eastings before northings. Practice with familiar local OS maps before unfamiliar ones. Teach contour interpretation by connecting the map to photographs and the real landscape. Build proficiency progressively: four-figure references before six-figure. Use the OS map symbol key and test recognition of common symbols. Plan routes using OS maps, calculating distances using scale. Combine with fieldwork by using OS maps in the local area.
Common misconceptions
Pupils consistently confuse the order of grid references, giving northings before eastings. The 'along the corridor and up the stairs' mnemonic helps, but consistent practice is essential. Contour interpretation is challenging; many pupils cannot readily visualise three-dimensional relief from two-dimensional contour lines. Building up from simple cross-sections and physical models helps. Pupils may not understand that the scale bar means different things at different zoom levels.
Difficulty levels
Recognising common OS map symbols (church, post office, road, woodland) and understanding that the map represents a real place from above.
Example task
Look at these map symbols. What does this symbol mean? (shows church with tower symbol)
Model response: That symbol means a church with a tower.
Using four-figure grid references to locate features on an OS map and reading common symbols from the key.
Example task
What feature is at grid reference 2347 on this OS map?
Model response: At grid reference 2347 there is a church with a spire. I found it by going along to 23 and then up to 47.
Using six-figure grid references to locate features precisely and interpreting contour lines to describe the relief of an area.
Example task
Give the six-figure grid reference for the school on this map. Describe the land around it using the contour lines.
Model response: The school is at grid reference 234471. The contour lines are close together to the north, showing a steep hill. To the south, the contour lines are spread apart, showing flatter ground near the river. The school is at about 50 metres above sea level.
Using OS maps to plan routes, estimate distances, and explain how physical features influenced the location of human features.
Example task
Plan a walking route from the village to the hilltop. Explain why you chose this route and estimate the distance.
Model response: I would follow the footpath that goes around the south side of the hill because the contour lines are more spread out there — a gentler slope. The direct route goes through closely packed contour lines, which means very steep climbing. My route is about 3km, which I estimated by comparing it to the scale bar. The village is in the valley because that's where the river and flat farmland are.
Delivery rationale
Geography fieldwork concept — requires real-world data collection, outdoor safety supervision, and specialist planning.