Collaboration has played a central role in the Geography department over the past few weeks. A field trip to Devon brought together Year 12 students from Blackheath High and Streatham & Clapham High to collaborate on fieldwork techniques in human and physical Geography, strengthening their understanding of place, coastal landscapes and earth’s life support systems. They also enjoyed lots of homemade cake!  

For those with a keen interest in physical Geography, witnessing the impacts of climate change firsthand in Slapton was particularly eye-opening. Students conducted a cost-benefit analysis of coastal management in Torcross, a village now largely dominated by holiday homes, sparking debates over whether such areas should be protected when their permanent communities have all but disappeared. 

Meanwhile, Totnes—renowned for its quirky and independent character—proved to be an inspiring setting for our human geographers. Engaging with local residents provided fascinating insights into how this uniquely spirited town has flourished despite (or perhaps because of) its resistance to globalisation.  

Our physical geographers chose to conduct their independent investigations in the local woodlands, exploring the potential impacts of global issues such as deforestation and land conversion for cattle ranching. Through their micro-investigations, they hope to gain valuable insights into how these large-scale environmental challenges might affect local ecosystems. 

Tara summed up the trip by saying, “We all had a great time on the trip and learnt lots about the impact of globalisation on the local area and gained valuable data for our coursework.” 

Collaboration continued with the annual Geographical Association WorldWise Quiz, where many of our enthusiastic Year 7s and dedicated Year 10s competed in a fun challenge against schools from across the South East. Well done to Alice and Angelina for the highest scores from the Blackheath High School teams. We look forward to participating again next year! 

Meanwhile, our Year 8 students worked together in the cookery room to create delicious pizzas as part of their unit on globalisation. In a surprising first, not a single student opted for pineapple as a topping—controversial! 

We are looking forward to our next collaborative venture in the next half term, where Brighton Girls are hosting the first Geograp-Her Geography Symposium. Several Year 9 students will participate in conservation talks, workshops, and presentations, gaining valuable insights into environmental stewardship.