Geography Students Enjoy Rottingdean for Research
The topic for Geography fieldwork this year is ‘Mitigating Risk’ and our recent Enrichment Week seemed like a perfect opportunity for a local study on the effectiveness of our coastal defences at Rottingdean.
Just under 80 Year 9 students went to Rottingdean across 3 days and practiced a number of fieldwork skills. The weather was so calm on Wednesday, it was almost impossible to measure Longshore Drift, but using apples and a stop watch they gave it a go!
Students used a weight and string to measure the sediment height on each side of the groyne and performed environmental index assessments for five key sites.
The students’ initial thoughts were that we have well maintained and effective defences at Rottingdean, but they will now spend lesson time refining the data they collected and providing evidence for their conclusion.
From Rottingdean they walked along to Ovingdean, stopping at key sites and indulging in ice cream on the way. There were shells mistaken for giant crabs and cuttlefish mistaken for chalk!
Students also made the most of the Connor Saunders pitch and enjoyed a game of football during their break. Somehow the weather stayed dry for them on each of the three days and productive, fun days out were enjoyed by all.
