In this Geography video, guidance is provided on developing pupils’ understanding of the eight points of a compass and how to apply them in practical navigation tasks. It models introducing compass directions through an active outdoor game, allowing pupils to physically respond to instructions like “hop southeast” and helping to embed directional language memorably. Suggestions are included for increasing the challenge by gradually removing compass prompts as familiarity grows.

Classroom activities include a mapping task using a digital map of the school grounds. Pupils identify and label features, then create an aerial sketch map, drawing symbols for elements like a car park or playground. They are supported in writing directional instructions using compass points to guide a partner from a marked start to an end point on the map. In a follow-up lesson, pupils swap instructions and use a compass to navigate their route on school grounds, drawing their actual path and evaluating its success.

This video is part of Kapow Primary’s Geography fieldwork teacher videos and supports fieldwork, spatial reasoning and cross-curricular links to historical exploration.

See more of our Year 3 and 4 Geography scheme of work.

• Geography, Year 3, Who lives in Antarctica? Lesson 5: Can we plan an expedition around school?
• Geography, Year 3, Who lives in Antarctica? Lesson 6: How did our expedition go?
• Geography, Year 3, Who lives in Antarctica?