This Geography scheme of work video supports teachers in delivering lessons that develop pupils’ understanding of the eight points of a compass and how to apply them in practical navigation tasks. It models how to introduce compass directions through an active outdoor game, allowing pupils to physically respond to instructions like “hop southeast,” helping to embed directional language memorably. The video also suggests how to increase the challenge by gradually removing compass prompts as familiarity grows.

In the classroom, teachers are guided through a mapping activity 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. Teachers are shown how to support pupils in writing directional instructions using compass points to guide a partner from a marked start to an end point on the map. In the 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 videos and supports fieldwork, spatial reasoning, and cross-curricular links to historical exploration.

See more of our Year 3 and Year 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?