Form I’s trip to the New Forest is to introduce pupils to the delights of viewing the world…
…through the eyes of a geographer and to give them the opportunity to work together. We set off early in the sunshine to reach our first stop of Beaulieu. Pupils were asked to draw a field sketch of part of the Beaulieu River which has been dammed to create the picturesque Mill Pond – all watched closely by the local ponies. From there we conducted traffic surveys of the surrounding roads, taking care to consider the risks first, and then we analysed and mapped the High Street to consider (later in the classroom) who the main target market is for the shops.
Our second stop was a lunch break lunch at Beaulieu Road, the site of a railway station and the Sales yard where the commoners can sell the ponies. In the afternoon we visited Lyndhurst where the girls were able to walk around the ancient Verderers’ Court and to listen to a talk about the ownership of the land, its wildlife and its history as one the oldest areas of natural woodland in the country and one of the newest National Parks. This was followed by a short visit to the museum and the shop before the journey home.
“Form I showed great promise as inquisitive geographers, asking questions and recording data accurately.” – Lesley Worrall, Head of Lower School and Subject Leader of Geography
