GCSE Geography pupils survey Liverpool

Over the last month the Geography Department has taken four groups of GCSE Year 10 and 11 pupils to a double fieldwork day combining a study at Formby Point and a Liverpool urban study. 

Pupils travelled with Mr Watters and Mr Metcalfe, via the school minibuses, firstly to the ‘Sites of Special Scientific Interest’ (SSSI) status National Trust at Formby.  The school has become National Trust members due to the high volume of extension visits taken to this and other SSSI sites. 

Whilst there, pupils were able to do Quadrant surveys investigating the impact of wave and wind erosion upon the rate of sand dune denudation and resulting retreat. That qualitative work was further extended with the vegetation biodiversity transects which started on somewhat windswept beaches!

Pupils collated their evidence and photographs and they will be following up this study over the next months into February as their work forms the basis of their Edexcel A Paper 3 techniques. 

The pupils were in and out of the minibuses again as we made our way into the Liverpool CBD. The pupils stopped at pre-determined sites along an urban transect which started at the Crosby side of the huge container port. 

Pupils completed graduated Urban RICEPOTS  surveys which help them explain and evaluate changing land uses across several kilometres from the rural urban fringe. 

Lead teacher for Geography, Mr Watters, commented, “The great part of going out doing work like this is that it allows pupils to evidence theory completed in the classroom.”

The pupils were then taken through the port into really deprived areas where there has yet to be the urban uplift experienced and surveyed by the pupils in China Town, Duke Street, Liverpool One and the Albert Dock. 

Pupils undertook further surveys by completing in-depth environment quality work at each site. They were able to study how there is still much work to be done to eradicate inequalities in Liverpool. 

Mr Watters continued, “We finished our long day off with an hour or so on the Mersey Ferry and a quick study of the Pier Head. We really packed it in and the pupils never stopped learning. We must thank our colleagues for covering our lessons. Well done to Miss Webster, the Humanities’ Trainee Teacher who has been a real star throughout her teaching at Priory. We wish her all the best.”