Fieldwork Geography is one of the best-placed subjects for inspiring learning outside the classroom. Fieldwork plays an integral role in our discipline, not only to enhance GCSE or A level learning, but also to instil a sense of awe and wonder, and gain an appreciation of the natural, social and cultural diversity of the world around us.
world knowledge, geography in the news, country outlines, flags, ordnance survey maps and even ‘musical geography’. For the past two years, Dulwich have come out on top, winning the prized trophy. As part of the A level Geography curriculum, Year 12 take part in a four-day residential fieldwork course in Dorset. They study coastal environments, as well as urban and rural rebranding strategies. At Swanage Bay, boys use ranging poles and clinometers to construct beach profiles and use quantitative and qualitative fieldwork techniques to evaluate coastal management strategies. A visit to chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage, allowed the boys to observe organic farming and rural re-branding strategies around Lyme Regis.
Year 7 map reading in the Brecon Beacons.
In their first term at Dulwich, all Year 7 classes spend a week at the College’s Outdoor Centre, Glytawe, in the Brecon Beacons National Park, where they learn about limestone landscapes and rivers, whilst practising Ordnance Survey map reading skills. This year the boys got to experience dramatic underground limestone features through caving. They crawled through tiny water carved passageways and saw stalagmite and stalactite formations. Wading up a river valley and a concluding gorge jump into a waterfall plunge pool, was an excellent opportunity to see the erosive power of a river in action. In Lent term of Year 7, Geography pupils also take part in a day’s orienteering. Competitions In Year 9, Dulwich boys have the opportunity to demonstrate their geographical skills and global knowledge in the Foundation School’s Geography Quiz. Throughout January, Year 9 pupils take part in preliminary quiz rounds. The top scoring boys are then selected to form three teams to represent the school. During the quiz, boys answer questions on
Geo-Explorers model a glaciated valley.
Geography Societies The Geography Society has branches throughout the College. In the Lower School, where it is called Geo-Explorers, it is open to all boys in Year 7 and 8 who want to explore the subject in an exciting and interactive way, whilst helping them to further develop their geographical skills. Activities have included building and erupting volcanoes, modelling a glaciated valley, constructing coral reefs from pasta, debates on current issues such as global warming and designing geographical games and quizzes.
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