A-Level Geographers explore Yorkshire

Sixth Form students stayed at the Cranedale Fieldstudies Centre near Malton in Yorkshire for a brilliant Geography trip as part of their A-Level programme.

For their NEA (non exam assessment), which is worth 20% of their Geography A-Level qualification, students were able to collect extensive data. To map land use, they visited Scarborough, conducting surveys and questionnaires on topics including impacts of COVID-19 on the high street, and recent regeneration on the seafront, with some investigating whether or not Scarborough is a clone or a local town.

In beautiful Dalby Forest, students compared a moorland area with a plantation, including looking at the impact of vegetation on infiltration and the water cycle. They learned about random sampling, and used quadrats to identify study sites where they gathered data on soil moisture, infiltration, vegetation height and cover. Others concentrated on the carbon cycle, using special kits to measure water carbon and measuring tree height and biomass to establish how much carbon was stored in the two different environments.

Then, at Flamborough Head, students donned hard hats to observe erosion features such as the spectacular wave cut platform, caves and blow hole.

Evenings were spent considering appropriate presentation techniques and methods of statistical analysis. There was, of course, also time to socialise with other schools and make the most of the centre’s recreational facilities.