On the morning of the 28th January, a large group of Sixth Form Biologists travelled to Flatford Mill, a field studies centre in Sussex. The Mill was constructed in 1087 and was acquired by the field studies council in 1946. The surrounding lowland landscapes and unique wildlife habitats proved to be a perfect location for the biennial Biology field trip.
Over the course of the weekend, the Lower Sixth aimed to cover the ecology component of the A level course – a topic that many find challenging. Shortly after arrival, we commenced work. Our group was assigned a specialist tutor with expert knowledge of ecology and an understanding of the OCR course. After receiving an introduction to ecology and classification, we left the classroom to explore the ecosystems surrounding the centre and continued to classify organisms into the dark. Following this, we returned to the classroom to be taught the various skills required to complete our practical investigations for the exam board.
The next day, we put what we had learned into practice as we ventured into the woods for a long day in the field to assess ground flora diversity across the ecosystem, using an array of specialist equipment. We then returned to carry out a thorough analysis of our data using new mathematical concepts and techniques. Having finished dinner, we began to plan our independent investigations in groups of three, to be carried out the next day. On the last day, we were required to utilise the skills we had acquired to investigate the relationship between an abiotic (non-living) factor and the distribution of a named species and we carried out the final piece of field work with enthusiasm and precision. All of the Lower Sixth boys had a wonderful experience on the field trip and learned a great deal by staying in a site surrounded by hundreds of ecosystems and habitats.
We’d like to thank the staff at Flatford Mill for their hospitality, the specialist tutors for their expertise and finally Dr Randall and the Biology department for organising and leading the trip.
A review written my Michael Galogre, an Upper Sixth student can be found here:
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