Year 12 Collect Geography Data in Swanage

An enjoyable time collecting NEA (non-exam assessment) data in Dorset

Year 12 geographers visited the Dorset coast on 23rd April till 25th April 2025. The purpose of the field trip was for the students to collect primary data to investigate their chosen investigation question which is a key component of the A-level course. The trip was also be a chance to experience and understand the case studies that are taught as part of the physical and human content.

We were fortunate to have warm, dry days which made the experience much more enjoyable. On the Wednesday afternoon, we visited Studland Bay sand dunes, the only large dune heath site in the south and south-west of Britain and which provide an important habitat for rare butterflies and all six of Britain’s reptile species, including the endangered sand lizard. Students studied the changing biodiversity across the sand dune system and collected data on plant species biodiversity, plant height, soil pH and soil moisture.

On Thursday, the group divided into two smaller groups and visited six sites along Chisel Beach from Burton Bradstock in the north to Chiswell on the Isle of Portland (as the spit joins the island as a tombolo!) and then another stop in Weymouth on the way back to Swanage.

Friday morning was spent collecting beach morphology data (beach profiles, pebble size and shape, wave counts and strength of longshore drift, and the height of sediment either side of the Swanage beach groins, to investigate how effective the sea defences are in maintaining a wide beach for tourist/visitors.

The field trip was not only a great opportunity to collect data to write up NEA coursework, but also a lovely chance for students from the different consortium schools to have fun and develop their love for the UK landscape and of course for Geography!