Form 6 pupils were eager to get their hands dirty and wade into the river, when they visited FSC Epping Forest, a Special Area of Conservation. Head of Geography, Miss Grant explained “this field work experience is very important as it allows our pupils to practise their collaborative skills, appreciate that they are all part of a team with a specific task to complete and to enjoy and saviour the fluvial landscape around them. It gives them the opportunity to test their understanding of the theoretical aspects of fluvial environments with reference to an actual example."
Our geographers enjoyed getting thoroughly muddy as they studied Debden Brook which is a tributary of the River Roding. One Form 6 pupil explained to Epping staff that the purpose of their visit was to, “Investigate the downstream changes in the characteristics of Debden Brook” whilst others had to, “Assess whether Debden Brook conforms to the Bradshaw Model” and this included getting to know how the geology of the area affects the drainage basin. The pupils used the day to conduct some primary and secondary data collection and measured a variety of characteristics from the width, depth and velocity of the river, as well as changes in the shape and size of its bedload.
Miss Grant commented, “The children did us proud and one of the centre staff commented on the fact that their underlying knowledge of rivers and their processes were exceptional for their age. Pupils demonstrated wonderful knowledge of the processes involved in a river and how they influenced the shape of the channel and altered the bedload. It was wonderful to see the pupils appreciate that the learning in the classroom can be extended to real life examples.”
