Page 14 - Issue No. 80 Summer 2019

12 Geography

Fieldwork skills inspire and motivate

The Year 9 Geographers have been making the most of the opportunity to study their subject out in the field this
term. Visits to both Cadover Bridge and Burrator Reservoir have enabled the students to practice key fieldwork
skills that they will need for their Year 11 examinations whilst investigating how the characteristics of the River Plym
change from source to mouth. As well as giving the students a flavour of this type of enquiry, the visit has also
helped them to develop and consolidate their learning within both the ‘Rivers’ and ‘Challenge of Resource
Management’ units of their GCSE course. We have been lucky enough to be able to utilise the facilities and
expertise of the Discovery Centre at Burrator Reservoir as well this year, which has given the students a unique
and expert insight into the distinctive issues and challenges involved in managing the area.
We’ve been particularly lucky this year with the weather, the fine conditions helping to make the days out both
productive and enjoyable. It has been a pleasure, as always, to get out into the field with the students.
Fieldwork is a vital part of Geography as a subject, and it is often days like these that both inspire and motivate
the students further towards the subject, as well as equipping them with the skills they need to succeed in their
examinations.

Year 12 Dorset Fieldtrip Donkey Hoaty soaks up the Sun

The last three days of the Spring Term saw the Year 12 Many thanks to Miss Morley for taking Donkey Hoaty to
Geographers head to Dorset for their residential fieldtrip Athens, Greece. She liked it so much she has taken a
staying at Brenscombe Outdoor centre in Corfe Castle. job there. We wish her the best of luck in her new
The trip is run to help the students develop human and adventure.
physical fieldwork skills which they will need for the NEA, Question. What does the name Acropolis mean?
it also gives them the opportunity to support their
learning in the ‘Regenerating places and Coastal
landscapes’ units.
We visited West Bay to look at the sea defences and
see some recent cliff collapses along the unprotected
stretch of coast first hand. From West Bay we went on
to Lulworth Cove where the concordant geology has
led to the formation of distinctive landforms.
Day two was based on human fieldwork techniques
with visits to Corfe Castle and Swanage. The students
did very well at trying to manage their data collection
in rather wet conditions. On the final day it stopped
raining long enough for a quick walk out to see
Old Harry, before finishing the day at Lyme Regis
looking at the regeneration that has taken place there.

The College Echo - Summer 2019 - www.ivybridge.devon.sch.uk