Biology Trip to Fort Dale
From 9th to 12th May, Sixth Form biologists took part in an exciting residential field trip to Fort Dale, Wales.
Over the course of three days, students explored the local coastal and salt marsh ecosystems, took part in fieldwork, and enjoyed learning about different sampling strategies.
The students explored Castle Bay and investigated how periwinkle size varied with wave exposure. They also spent some time on the rocky Jetty Beach counting limpets and measuring biodiversity using quadrats.
Sunday was a highlight, as students got to design and conduct their own experiments. Working in small groups, they chose what to study, which sampling strategies to use and which beach they wanted to investigate on.
Some worked on Jetty Beach, while others went to Castle Bay. They completed some research in order to state their hypotheses and then completed a written report on their findings.
Later that afternoon, they headed out to the local salt marsh. After some light, quick steps across the marsh (to avoid sinking!), they measured the succession up the marsh.
They saw a variety of different plant and grass species, including Glassworts, arrow grass and sea lavender. After their salty investigations, it was only appropriate to balance it with something sweet, so the students headed to the local ice cream shop and enjoyed a treat.
On the last day, the students went crabbing along with RGS Guildford. While not advertised as a competition, it quickly turned into a contest of who could catch the most crabs…
They used baited lines to catch crabs in order to mark and release them back into the sea. They had a break at the cafe and then returned to catch more crabs in order to estimate the local population by checking how many were recaptured.
Outside of fieldwork, students enjoyed sunny morning runs along the coast and relaxed in the evenings with games and social time in the common room.
The trip to Fort Dale was a resounding success. Students not only deepened their understanding of coastal ecology but also developed their teamwork and independence. Their enthusiasm, curiosity, and positive behaviour were a credit to the school.
We thank the staff, students and local community who helped make this trip memorable!
Report by Rebecka, Year 12
