Beyond the Classroom

Year 12 Geography students explored different human and physical landscapes during two recent field trips to see what they have learnt in the classroom first-hand. Whether studying our local geography or traveling further afield, fieldtrips have an emphasis on developing analytical skills and encourage pupils to be inquisitive independent learners.

Lucas and Rhea tell us more about their experiences:

On Sunday 20 June, Year 12 geographers went on a field trip to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London. We took part in a wide range of fieldwork activities, moving from East at Shoreditch to West at Canary Wharf, which helped us to gain a greater understanding into our case study and the change in identity throughout Tower Hamlets.  

Firstly, we undertook a walking tour, completing interviews and Environmental Quality Assessment’s (EQA’S) as we went. We then took advantage of the stalls of all different cultures and cuisines serving great food in New Spitalfields market for lunch. And finally, we visited the Museum of London Docklands which gave an extremely interesting insight into the rapid change of unused dockland into the bustling financial hub of Canary Wharf starting in the 1980s with the implementation of the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) and Special Economic Zone (SEZ).  

Overall, the trip was a great success. It was a valuable resource for the us to use, bringing to light the stark inequality as well as multicultural vibrancy within the borough, allowing us a better understanding and a first-hand view of Tower Hamlets, as well as enabling us to try some amazing foods! 

Lucas, Year 12

On Monday 21 June Year 12 geographers undertook our A level physical geography fieldwork in Herne Bay and Reculver. We braved the rain and wind to collect data across four different sites to understand the changing nature of the East Kent coastline.  

In our groups we learnt how to use callipers, clinometers, tape measures, ranging poles and metre rulers, as well as how different surveys such as the ‘CISA Cliff Instability Assessment’, ‘Bi-Polar survey measuring the effectiveness of coastal management’ and wave analysis, can be used to conduct beach profiles, sediment analysis and evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of coastal management.  

To finish the day off, we then treated ourselves to hot chocolate and ice cream by the sea! Despite the rain and wind, it was a good day out trying all the different fieldwork techniques and it was really interesting for us to see a well-established wave-cut platform as well as different types of management that we hadn’t seen before. 

Rhea, Year 12

Find out more about Geography at Alleyn’s in the subject pages of the website.