Geography trips in Senior School & Sixth Form

Norfolk coastline

Year 9 were able to enjoy the unbroken sea and sky of Brancaster beach on a field trip, where they worked in teams to share equipment and carry out a wave and beach survey.

Although some found swapping equipment quite challenging, and others were much more efficient than others, they managed to complete most of the fieldwork and fill in the data table on their handouts.

A short walk took us to the red and white striped chalk cliffs at Hunstanton for a review of geomorphic processes affecting the coastal landscape in this area, and a bit of field sketching. The day ended on Hunstanton seafront where, along with an evaluation of the coastal defences, an ice cream was provided to finish off the day! 

Welsh rivers, post-industrial towns and renewable energy

On a field trip to North Wales, Year 10 had a great time at the Field Study Council's field centre.

They spent a day measuring downstream changes in the river Conway – collecting data on width, depth, velocity and calculating changes in volume and discharge. The weather was glorious, and fieldwork ended with us all sitting in the shade enjoying a well-earned ice cream! 

The urban fieldwork day was colder, but fortunately stayed dry for an investigation in the former slate-mining town of Llanberis. The title of the fieldwork – which will form part of the GCSE fieldwork and skills paper – was "How is Llanberis moving to a post-industrial economy?"

The answer is by developing tourism, and branding Llanberis as the adventure, heritage, food and drink and industrial capital of North Wales. After a day spent collecting data and making clips of the methodologies on iPads, we spent the evenings writing up and enjoying the beautiful setting of the centre, and its excellent locally grown food!

The final day was spent at a wind farm, developing a better understanding of the benefits and problems that this renewable form of energy brings.  

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