Year 13 Geography students headed to Minehead for their week residential. 

Day 1 – After a 4 and a half hour journey we arrived at Nettlecombe Court. After getting settled, we headed into Minehead to be introduced to place geography in the field. Having looked at narratives, 8 ways of thinking and mood-mapping, we undertook fieldwork across Minehead. Back at the centre, students had a GIS workshop in the evening using the data we had collected to look at trends and plot their data. After dinner we played some games to unwind. 

Day 2 – After breakfast, we had a briefing before heading to Porlock Bay to look at coastal processes. Students undertook a vegetation analysis, beach profiles, sediment analysis and a field-sketch. Due to the bad weather we headed back early. Back at the centre we had a session on statistical analysis looking at how data can be analysed using Chi Squared and Mann Whitney U tests.

Day 3 – We were focusing on coastal management today so after our briefing we headed back to Minehead. We looked at the hard and soft engineering that had been implemented before trialling some field techniques. Students did a cost benefit analysis, bi polar survey, flood risk mapping and Hudson’s equation. After lunch and some free time, we headed back to the centre where students started to work on their field questions and methodologies ahead of collecting their data tomorrow. They worked incredibly hard until 9pm sorting out their methodology, sampling strategies, data collection sheets, risk assessments and making sure they were ready for the following day.

Day 4 – Today was the most important day- students were collecting data for their individual NEA. They spent 6 hours in Minehead collecting questionnaires, field sketches, groyne profiles, beach profiles, flood risk mapping, cost benefit analysis, bipolar surveys, clone town surveys, mood mapping, footfall data and non-participant observation. It was important they collected enough data to be able to answer their fieldwork question. After a week of poor weather, the sun made an appearance even if it was still freezing cold! On our return to the centre students wrote up the limitations they had found with their data collection. We then headed up the hill behind the centre to have a go at making a fire and roasting some marshmallows. It was a nice way to spend our final evening. 

Day 5 – After packing up we had a final session looking over the data collected and deciding which statistical tests they would use to analyse their data before our drive back to school.

It was a pleasure to take the students to Minehead – they were a credit to the school and I look forward to reading their completed coursework in a few months time! 

Miss Berry