Last week, our year 11 geography students attended a fieldwork trip, split into two groups over two days, in preparation for their upcoming GCSE exams.
The trip began with a visit to Sherwood Forest in the morning for the physical fieldwork element. Students investigated how natural the woodland is, examining evidence of the nutrient cycle, as well as identifying producers, consumers and decomposers. They carried out a bi-polar survey and quadrat sampling.
In the afternoon, students visited Hucknall high street for the human fieldwork element, where they assessed the quality of the environment. They compared the pedestrianised area with the non-pedestrianised area to determine which was of higher quality. They also conducted a bi-polar survey, footfall count, building use survey and building quality survey.
Prior to the trip, students took part in a pre-fieldwork lesson to prepare and discuss the activities they would be undertaking. This was followed by a post-fieldwork lesson, where they reflected on what they had learned and what it meant for the two locations studied.
Our students conducted themselves exceptionally well throughout the trip and particularly enjoyed exploring the natural woodland, especially during what can be a stressful time of year. We even received positive comments from members of the public, who were impressed by the students’ behaviour and attitude.
