This year the annual Biology and Environmental Systems field trip to the Amersham Field studies centre was held over the second weekend of September and the students completed their personal projects on the following Tuesday.  I would like to thank the students and staff for giving up their weekend for this valuable learning experience.

The saying goes,  “You tell me I remember for a while, you show me I remember for longer but when I do it I learn forever.” That is the philosophy behind the field studies course.  Students get to do their own fieldwork in the ecological aspects of Biology using the same tools and methodologies as practising scientist. They investigate ponds, woodlands, both managed and unmanaged, and see first-hand the changes in communities over time. They also learn the to use the basic tool of ecology from sampling techniques to advanced statistical analysis.

On the final day they use all of the tools they have acquired to design and carry out their own investigations.  This year they answered such questions as; does the temperature effect newt growth; does the depth of detritus effect the species in a pond specifically fresh water hog lice; and are the two ponds studied different in their internal energetics and food chains?

Over the three days the students gained a great deal of knowledge and then applied it to their practical and theoretical work.  The staff got to see another side of our students, because we only normally only see students for short periods of time in classroom. This trip was especially useful to the environmental systems students as they were introduced to their new teacher Dr. Sharma and she got to see them in action. On this trip we see students all day working in a different environment working intensely to complete a task over a short period of time.

As always, the work we undertaken has enabled the students to start to assemble  the portfolio of practical studies they will submit to the International Baccalaureate as a component of their final exams. Once again,  it has given them a sound foundation for future success.