On Friday, our Year 10 Geography students visited Dorchester and Poundbury in Dorset for a hands-on fieldwork experience collecting data for their GCSE course, investigating the impacts of urban change.
The day began in Dorchester town centre, where pupils carried out a range of primary data collection activities, including environmental quality surveys, land use mapping, pedestrian counts, and questionnaires. Despite the persistent rain, students demonstrated impressive resilience and completed their tasks with focus and determination.
Next, the group explored Brewery Square in Dorchester to assess how this modern development might affect the traditional high street. After a quick lunch break to escape the worsening rain, the afternoon session moved to Poundbury to conduct further surveys. However, with conditions deteriorating, pupils adapted by completing their surveys from the minibuses before returning to school slightly earlier than planned. Back in the warmth of the school, students enjoyed a well-deserved hot chocolate while writing up their findings.
Throughout the day, their positivity and commitment shone through, turning a wet and windy challenge into a valuable learning experience.