Oh, They Do Like to be Beside the Seaside! 

Over the last fortnight, our A-level and GCSE Geography pupils have been busy off-site. They have completed enjoyable and illuminating fieldwork as part of their courses, developing their subject knowledge and collaborative skills away from the classroom. 

The Lower Sixth (Y12) geographers returned full of enthusiasm from their annual residential Geography fieldwork trip based in Minehead, which took place last week, having worked very hard throughout. They thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each other and their subject better on this three-day residential experience. 

Day One for the 12 students was spent exploring the coastal landscape at Minehead, collecting data to illustrate the impacts of human intervention. This was followed by some exciting beach-cricket in the unseasonably warm late afternoon sunshine, before settling into their hotel. Fieldwork skills were further developed along the stunning pebble beach at Porlock Bay on Day Two and the final day was spent on a visit to Watchet, where an in-depth place-profile study took place. 

This week, 90 Fifth Form (Y11) geographers visited Bristol Harbourside as part of their GCSE studies. They spent valuable time assessing the success of the Harbourside Regeneration Scheme, conducting environmental quality surveys, land use surveys and questionnaires. A highlight of the day was a guided boat tour through the floating harbour, which helped pupils understand the scale of the urban redevelopment. Liv, one of the pupils on the trip commented, “It was a really interesting experience getting to know Bristol in such detail,” and James, another Fifth Form pupil added, “Fieldwork has given me the skills I need to understand the Harbourside Regeneration Project in more detail. I had a great day!” 

This real-world, hands-on work is a key part of the A-level and GCSE courses, as the pupils develop the practical skills and experience required to excel in this fascinating subject.