On Tuesday 21st May, our 40 Year 10 IGCSE Geography pupils went on a field trip to Ramsgate Beach, led by our Head of Geography, Mr Tim Jameson. The trip aimed to prepare the pupils for their IGCSE coursework, enhance their understanding of coastal processes, and introduce them to the fieldwork investigation process.
The itinerary for the day was planned to include a variety of hands-on activities that would provide the pupils with primary field data and consolidate their classroom learning.
The day’s activities kicked off with beach profiling at Ramsgate Main Sands just after 9am, where pupils measured the cross-sectional gradient of the beach. This exercise helped them understand the influence of different types of waves on the beach’s shape and structure. Following this, the pupils conducted longshore drift tests by throwing oranges into the sea to measure the speed of longshore drift, demonstrating the power of the processes at work within their local coastal environment. Photo observations were also part of the schedule, where pupils documented the condition and extent of coastal defences and management.
By 10:30am, the group moved closer towards Dumpton for their second survey site, before heading to Ramsgate Port at noon. After lunch, the pupils moved to Western Undercliff for the final part of their fieldwork. The trip concluded with a return to School in the late afternoon for data collation and a debrief session.
The trip was supervised by Mr Jameson, Head of Geography, along with Geography teachers Mr Rijk Van Romburgh and Mr Nick Hill, ensuring that the pupils received comprehensive guidance and support throughout the day.
Reflecting on the day’s activities, one pupil commented, “In our team, we worked well in communication and we believed we did the longshore drift field task very well as it took around 9 and a half minutes for the orange to move to our secondary endpoint.”
Another pupil noted, “We recorded results at a long distance, stopping the timer at an accurate time. However, the weather was quite windy so it could have affected the direction of the fruit. It was also quite wavy so we could not always see the fruit, meaning that the time of crossing may not be accurate. To improve, we could complete the same results on a calmer day when it was a bit less windy and wavy.”
Thank you very much to our fantastic Geography Department, Mr Jameson, Mr Romburgh and Mr Hill, for their organisation and supporting pupils on the day. The field trip to Ramsgate Beach provided invaluable practical experience for the pupils, equipping them with essential skills for their IGCSE coursework and a deeper understanding of coastal geography.
