Geography Fieldwork Options KS 2, 3 & 4

On-site options at Hooke Court

Microclimate Study

Climatic conditions in an area can be affected by the landscape, relief and activities taking place (both human and natural). The influence of aspect, shelter, buildings, surface and natural features in relation to microclimates can be considered across the diverse and extensive grounds of Hooke Court. This allows the students the opportunity to formulate a hypothesis, plan their fieldwork and then go and collect the data. Once collected there is time to present and interpret their findings to draw some conclusions.

River Study

The location of the village of Hooke on a tributary of the River Frome allows students to form a hypothesis, plan and collect data from the River Hooke as it flows through Hooke village and towards the sea. The fieldwork opportunities include taking measurements along the course of the river, identifying river landforms and processes, as well as considering river use, potential hazards and environmental issues such as pollution.

Renewable Resources / Sustainability

Hooke Court operates both renewable and non-renewable energy sources, as well as its own private and domestic water supplies. This allows students to see first-hand how each type operates. The students can consider one against the other. In the autumn of 2023, there will also be a significant solar provision from panels mounted on the buildings. Other studies may consider how local environments can be managed and protected for sustainable benefits.

Off-site options locally

Coastal Defences at West Bay

A short drive away from Hooke Court, you can carry out an in-depth investigation of the coastal defence system in action – this case study has recently been used in a CE paper.

Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door

Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door offer a range of physical geographical investigations on the beach and cliffs. The locations also offer a huge range of fieldwork that is more ‘human’ as both sites are major tourist attractions. Up to 750,000 visitors per year visit England’s first and only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Studland Bay

The fragile and environmentally sensitive Studland area of sand dunes offers opportunities for both physical and human geography fieldwork. Owned and managed by the National Trust, the extensive sand dunes make an ideal project considering vegetation and wildlife succession. The area is also environmentally and ecologically sensitive whilst attracting upwards of 1.5 million visitors a year so there are many fieldwork opportunities available that students may want to consider.

Swanage

The sea defences of Swanage have long been used as a means to effectively manage the important coastal environment of the bay. Longshore drift plays a major role in shaping the tourist beach and various structures and techniques have been employed over the years. Fieldwork enables students to consider the success of these methods and their impact on tourism. The town also offers plenty of options for survey and questionnaire based investigations.

Lyme Regis

Provides a wealth of opportunities for physical and human geography in terms of methods of land stabilisation as well as tourism.

Poundbury

The growth of Poundbury; built on the principles of architecture and urban planning as advocated by Prince Charles (now His Majesty, the King) in a ‘Vision of Britain’, published in 1989, has been relatively rapid and extensive. Fieldwork opportunities relating to human geography are numerous and varied. Techniques include field sketches, pedestrian counts, photo recapture, environmental quality surveys and building use surveys yielding plenty of data that can be analysed back in the classroom.