England — National Curriculum
Map projections for KS2 and KS3 Geography (England)
How well this site fits
This site supports part of the maps-and-globes strand of KS2 and KS3 Geography. Pupils can see for themselves why a globe and a flat map differ, how distortion grows away from the equator, and how day and night move across the Earth. It does not teach reading latitude and longitude, time zones, atlases, Ordnance Survey maps or fieldwork, so use it alongside your usual resources rather than instead of them.
Objectives and how the site meets them
Strong fit: a pupil can meet the objective on this site alone. Partial fit: the site covers part of it. Context: related background only.
| Where in the curriculum | What it says | What pupils do here |
|---|---|---|
Aims (all key stages) Fit: Partial fit | What it saysinterpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)Unofficial summary The aims ask pupils to interpret geographical sources, and maps and globes are named among them. | What pupils do here Pupils: Compares a globe with flat maps and reads how each one stretches the world. Aerial photographs and GIS are not covered. Use on this site |
Key stage 2 — Locational knowledge Fit: Partial fit | What it saysidentify 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)Unofficial summary Pupils should know the position and meaning of latitude, longitude, the Equator, the hemispheres, the tropics, the polar circles, the Prime Meridian and time zones. | What pupils do here Pupils: Sees the equator and the poles matter, because distortion grows with latitude, and watches the day and night line move. Does not learn to read coordinates, the tropics, the Prime Meridian or time zones. Use on this site |
Key stage 2 — Geographical skills and fieldwork Fit: Partial fit | What it saysuse maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studiedUnofficial summary Pupils use maps, atlases, globes and digital mapping to locate countries and describe features. | What pupils do here Pupils: Uses digital maps and globe views to compare how places look and where they are. There is no atlas. Use on this site |
Key stage 2 — Locational knowledge Fit: Context | What it sayslocate 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 citiesUnofficial summary Pupils locate countries on world maps, with a focus on Europe and the Americas and their regions and cities. | What pupils do here Pupils: Finds a hidden country from its distance and compass direction. This is background practice only: regions, features and cities are not covered. Use on this site |
Key stage 3 — Geographical skills and fieldwork Fit: Partial fit | What it saysbuild on their knowledge of globes, maps and atlases, and apply and develop this knowledge routinely in the classroom and in the fieldUnofficial summary Key stage 3 pupils build on what they know about globes, maps and atlases and use it routinely, in class and in the field. | What pupils do here Pupils: Tests how well a flat map matches a globe and reads distortion at any point. Classroom only: no fieldwork and no atlas. Use on this site |
Key stage 3 — Locational knowledge Fit: Partial fit | What it saysextend their locational knowledge and deepen their spatial awareness of the world’s countries, using maps of the world to focus on Africa, Russia, Asia (including China and India), and the Middle East, focusing on their environmental regions, including polar and hot deserts, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major citiesUnofficial summary Key stage 3 pupils deepen their sense of where the world's countries are and how big they are, using world maps. | What pupils do here Pupils: Drags countries to compare real sizes and fits other countries inside Africa. Covers size and extent, not regions, environments or cities. Use on this site |
A lesson sequence
1. Hook: does a country change size?
Drag Greenland toward the equator in True Size and ask why its size seems to change (5 minutes).
2. Globe versus map
Peel the globe, then fold the paper globe from the printables (10 minutes).
3. Compare maps
Morph Mercator into Equal Earth in the Projection Lab and discuss the equator and the poles (10 minutes).
4. Day and night
Move the time slider in The Other Side, then complete the worksheet and the exit question (15 minutes). For KS3, swap in the Distortion Lab and Flight Paths.
What this site does not cover
- Reading latitude and longitude as coordinates, the Prime Meridian, the tropics and the polar circles. The maps draw graticule lines, but no copy teaches coordinates.
- Time zones as such. The site shows the day and night boundary only.
- Atlases, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems.
- Ordnance Survey maps, grid references, scale bars, symbols and keys, and compass work beyond the direction clue in Find the Country.
- Fieldwork, place knowledge, human and physical geography, and regional location knowledge.
Status notes
- The programmes of study have no objective codes, so objectives are cited by key stage and sub-heading. Age ranges are the usual English key-stage ages, not stated on the gov.uk page.
Sources and attribution
Official document: National curriculum in England: geography programmes of study (Department for Education)
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Source: Department for Education, National curriculum in England: geography programmes of study (2013). © Crown copyright 2013. Quotations are from the official gov.uk page, checked on 2026-10-09. The Open Government Licence v3.0 applies.
Checked on October 9, 2026