Sixth Form Biology Field Trip To Jurassic Coast
15 Sep
From Saturday 10 to Tuesday 13 September, 33 Upper Sixth students visited Swanage in Dorset for this year’s Biology Field Trip. An essential part of their A-level studies, the trip allowed students to complete two required assessed Biology practicals, as well as experiencing a variety of field work techniques.
The group were based at Leeson House Field Studies Centre in Langton Matravers, on the Jurassic Coast. After their journey to Dorset it was straight to work on the Saturday, with students tasked with capturing and recording woodlice populations, a fascinating evening for everyone. Sunday morning it was off to the River Piddle and a comparison between the species found in slow- and fast-moving water. Then it was on to Kimmeridge Bay to undertake work on the rocky shores examining the distribution and morphology of limpets and periwinkles, a perfect opportunity to practice their sampling techniques. Monday’s activities included Studland sand dune succession and surveying of the woodlice populations again, whilst mammal and moth traps were examined before returning to school on Tuesday.
Head of Biology, Catherine Warne, commented, “Our Sixth-Formers made the most the experience, they learnt a lot but had fun too. The weekend’s sunshine was a fantastic welcome bonus to a very successful trip.”