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KS2 Geography Curriculum (England)

The whole key stage 2 geography programme of study from the national curriculum in England, with statutory and non-statutory parts clearly marked. Tick statements to plan a lesson.

Years
Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
Ages
7–11
Statutory statements
10
Source
National curriculum in England: geography
Last checked
2026-10-20

Current. The government response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review (Nov 2025) says a revised national curriculum will be published by spring 2027 for first teaching from September 2028.

Teaching one year group? Open its TIP: Year 3 Geography · Year 4 Geography · Year 5 Geography · Year 6 Geography.

Key stage 2 10 statutory statements

Introduction to Key stage 2 (official text)

Pupils should extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They should develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge.

Pupils should be taught to:

Locational knowledge Statutory

Pupils should be taught to:

  • locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities
  • name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time
  • identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)

Place knowledge Statutory

Pupils should be taught to:

  • understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region in North or South America

Human and physical geography Statutory

Pupils should be taught to:

  • describe and understand key aspects of:
    • physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle
    • human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water

Geographical skills and fieldwork Statutory

Pupils should be taught to:

  • use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
  • use the 8 points of a compass, 4- and 6-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world
  • use fieldwork to observe, measure record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies

Read the programme of study on GOV.UK

More

Key stage 2 overviewAll subjects, tests and dates for KS2.KS1 GeographyKey stage 1 programme of study.KS3 GeographyKey stage 3 programme of study.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Department for Education, National curriculum in England: geography programmes of study (GOV.UK), © Crown copyright.

Statements in the curriculum lists are copied word for word from GOV.UK; everything else on this page (headings, notes, summaries) is written by us. Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department for Education or the Standards and Testing Agency. Always check the official documents linked on this page.

Questions teachers ask

What is in the KS2 geography curriculum?

10 statutory statements in 4 sections. Schools must teach the statutory content by the end of the key stage.