By Mrs Swan (Head of Geography)
From Wednesday 17th to Friday 19th June, our Year 10 GCSE Geography students travelled to the North Norfolk coast for their AQA compulsory fieldwork residential. Based in Sheringham, the trip provided an excellent opportunity to bring classroom learning to life through real-world geographical investigations.
Our first stop was Holkham, home to one of the UK’s finest examples of sand dune succession. Students explored how dunes form and develop over time, investigating how their characteristics change inland. This gave a strong foundation for the rest of the trip, bringing coastal processes and ecosystems to life.
From Holkham, we travelled to Sheringham, where students completed a coastal walk from east to west, observing different coastal management strategies. Along the route, they identified examples of managed retreat, hold the line, and areas with little intervention, enabling them to evaluate the benefits and challenges of each approach.
After a busy first day of fieldwork, students enjoyed a well-deserved evening, including watching England’s match together.
Thursday focused on our human geography investigation, exploring how environmental quality changes with distance from the seafront. Students used ArcGIS to collect, visualise and analyse data in real time. Digital survey tools allowed instant mapping and sharing, helping patterns to emerge and demonstrating how geographers work in the field.
With low tide later in the day, physical fieldwork began at 4pm. Despite the warm weather, students carried out beach profiles, longshore drift investigations and groyne height measurements, applying classroom theory to a real coastal environment.
As temperatures cooled, we enjoyed a coastal walk along the promenade. Students relaxed on the beach, played with giant bubbles and took in the Norfolk coastline, while Mr Gracie (Deputy Head) gave several students an impromptu lesson in stone skimming.
On Friday morning, students completed their final task, a land-use survey of Sheringham, before returning to Bedford.
The trip was a great success. Students demonstrated excellent behaviour, curiosity, teamwork and resilience throughout.
Back in the classroom, students will now use their data to complete the presentation, analysis and evaluation stages of their investigations in preparation for Paper 3. More importantly, the trip enabled them to experience geography beyond the classroom and see how the concepts they study shape the world around them.
A fantastic few days of geography, sunshine, teamwork and memorable experiences.
View photos from the trip here.
