Year 12 Geographers in Dorset

Year 12 Geographers enjoyed collecting data for their A Level fieldwork investigation coursework in Swanage

Year 12 geographers visited Dorset for 3 days at the end of April 2024. The students had planned their own fieldwork investigations for the NEA Coursework element of the A-Level Geography course. Mrs James and Mrs Ruffhead were really impressed at the quality of the planning and the time students had spent preparing for the fieldwork. This meant that high quality data was collected over the three days. We travelled over the chain ferry from Sandbanks to Studland Bay on Wednesday and divided into two groups to collect data on plant bio-diversity and abundance, vegetation height, soil pH and soil moisture, as well measuring distances and angles to understand the changing profile of the sand dunes with distance from the sea.

Thursday was spent visiting beaches along Chesil Beach including Burton Bradstock, Abbotsbury, West Bexington, Chickerell, Chiswell and also Weymouth. Data was collected for pebble size and shape, wave type, speed and direction of longshore drift and beach profile. Students now have plenty of data to use to write up outstanding NEA course works which will be handed in before the February half term 2025.

Before travelling home on Friday, we spent the morning in Swanage, collecting more beach data, particularly the different height in sediment found along the groynes from the water’s edge to the back of the beach. This will help the students understand the changes in beach profile and pebble size and shape at Swanage.

The students were amazing and as well as collecting huge amounts of data, everyone had a very enjoyable time.

Mrs Ruffhead