Geography field trips make a unique contribution to a student’s education and offer many varied benefits; with this in mind, Year 10 students from Saint Paul’s visited the Goyt Valley in the Peak District as part of their GSCE Geography course.
The fieldwork involved a day working with representatives from the Peak District National Park Authority studying the changing river environment for their GCSE fieldwork.
Mr Nathan Lawrence, Geography teacher
, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for our students to get outdoors and practice their geographical skills in the real world. Field work is an essential component of geography education and the trip directly related to work which the students had been taught in the classroom. The practical skills that are gained on a trip such this are important in connecting the theory and vital in connecting classroom teaching with the real world. I was delighted that the group demonstrated an excellent application of their knowledge from the classroom to the real world.”
“The students thoroughly enjoyed the field trip and had an extremely positive attitude to their research. Students were highly engaged in the day and enjoyed seeing their geography lessons come to life,” added Mr Lawrence.
“The world outside the school is richly inspiring, constantly re-energising what takes place within the classroom. A field trip is a fantastic opportunity for students to gain a level of understanding about Geography that textbooks or lessons alone, however good, can never equal,” commented Head Teacher, Mr Alex Hren. “It’s an opportunity for students to be creative, and to have a personalised outcome which gives them a sense of ownership of the learning. It’s a fantastic way to bring Geography to life.”
