Sixty year 11 Geography students from Woodham Academy recently journeyed to Hamsterley Forest to undertake their physical Geography fieldwork.
Fieldwork has been very difficult to undertake in recent years, but with exam boards now identifying this as a key component, this river study will be invaluable to the students involved.
As the group arrived at Hamsterley, the sun shone brightly over the hills of the Weardale valley and the blue sky was welcoming.
The group’s task was to measure Bedburn Beck at four separate locations, in preparation for the fieldwork exam questions.
The students will be questioned on an unseen example of fieldwork, allowing them to apply their first-hand knowledge to the differing context.
The Geography department at Woodham endeavours to offer students opportunities to visit, explore and experience the landscapes and places of the UK.
The schools head of Geography, Mr Zielinski, said: “Since the GCSE reforms, Geography specifications have focused more clearly on the UK and fieldwork, and that is no different following the impact of the pandemic.
“It has been a major focus of the department to thoroughly prepare students for the fieldwork elements of the GCSE.
“This has been one of the key reasons for Woodham’s continued success since 2018”.
The Geography department are looking to repeat the continued strong achievement of all students in the upcoming 2022 exams and the Hamsterley Forest fieldwork will play an important part.
