Key Stage 3 geography · Geographical skills and fieldwork

KS3 geography fieldwork: contrasting locations explained

Fieldwork is geography done outdoors: pupils collect first-hand data in real places, then use it to answer a question. The National Curriculum asks KS3 pupils to use fieldwork in contrasting locations to collect, analyse and draw conclusions from geographical data, using multiple sources of increasingly complex information. At this stage the emphasis shifts from simply recording what they see to testing ideas, comparing places and judging how far the evidence can be trusted.

Fieldwork in contrasting locations, explained

A fieldwork enquiry starts with a question, not with a clipboard. A class might ask “How does a river change from its source to its mouth?” or “How does environmental quality differ between the town centre and a suburb?” Pupils then decide what data would help, how many measurements they need, where to take them and how to record them. Often there is a hypothesis to test, or a geographical model to compare with, such as an idea about how rivers change downstream. Pupils check whether real places fit the model, and why they sometimes don’t.

Contrasting locations are two or more places that differ in a way relevant to the question: upstream and downstream, a busy high street and a quiet village, an eroding cliff and a protected beach. Comparing them is what makes patterns visible. Schools choose their own sites, depending on what is close by and safe to visit, so the curriculum does not name particular places. Fieldwork often happens on a day trip, but it can also be done in the school grounds or nearby streets.

Data comes in two main forms. Primary data is collected by pupils themselves: measuring, counting, scoring, sketching, photographing or interviewing. Secondary data comes from elsewhere, such as census figures, weather records, maps or aerial photographs, and is often used alongside the fieldwork. Using multiple sources lets pupils cross-check: do the pedestrian counts fit what the land-use map suggests? At KS3 many schools also introduce ways of sampling (random, systematic or stratified), along with repeating measurements and taking averages to reduce the effect of a single odd reading.

Back in the classroom pupils present and analyse. That can mean graphs, annotated maps, tables, and calculations such as the mean, median or range. Many schools also use scatter graphs to see whether two sets of data are related, for example whether river depth increases with distance downstream. The most important step is the conclusion. A strong one answers the original question, quotes specific figures, and says whether the hypothesis is supported. Then comes evaluation: what went wrong, how reliable the data is, and what would improve the enquiry. Schools complete risk assessments before any trip, and pupils learn to work safely and respectfully in the field.

Words your child will hear

Hypothesis: A testable prediction, such as “the river will be wider downstream than upstream”.
Primary and secondary data: Primary data is collected first-hand; secondary data was collected by someone else.
Sampling: Choosing a manageable number of sites or people to measure that fairly represent the whole.
Reliable: Giving similar results if the measurement were repeated.
Anomaly: A result that doesn’t fit the pattern, which pupils try to explain.
Mean and range: The mean is the average of a set of values; the range is the gap between the highest and lowest.
Evaluation: Judging how good the method and evidence were, and how the enquiry could be improved.

What the National Curriculum says

The programme of study for Key Stage 3 says:

Pupils should be taught to use fieldwork in contrasting locations to collect, analyse and draw conclusions from geographical data, using multiple sources of increasingly complex information
Pupils should develop greater competence in using geographical knowledge, approaches and concepts [such as models and theories] and geographical skills in analysing and interpreting different data sources.

Objectives from the National Curriculum in England, © Crown copyright, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Try it: analysing river data from two contrasting sites

A class tested the hypothesis “the river is bigger downstream than upstream”. The figures below are invented to show the method. At each site they measured the channel width and the depth at five evenly spaced points. What do the results show?

Record the data in a table. Site 1 (upstream): width 2.4 m; depths 0.10, 0.18, 0.22, 0.15 and 0.08 m. Site 2 (downstream): width 5.0 m; depths 0.15, 0.30, 0.42, 0.35 and 0.18 m.
Work out the mean depth at each site by adding the five readings and dividing by five.
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Site 1: 0.73 ÷ 5 = 0.146 m
Site 2: 1.40 ÷ 5 = 0.28 m
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Estimate the size of the cross-section (the area of water that a slice across the river would show) by multiplying width by mean depth. This is approximate because the channel is not a perfect rectangle.
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Site 1: 2.4 × 0.146 = about 0.35 m²
Site 2: 5.0 × 0.28 = 1.4 m²
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Compare: the downstream width is just over twice the upstream width, the mean depth is nearly twice as great (0.28 compared with 0.146), and the cross-section is about four times as large (1.4 compared with 0.35).
Evaluate. Only two sites and one visit were used, depth was measured at just five points, and recent rain could have changed the flow. More sites and a repeat visit would make the result more reliable.

The data support the hypothesis: the downstream channel is wider (5.0 m compared with 2.4 m), deeper on average (0.28 m compared with about 0.15 m) and has a cross-section about four times as large. Because the sample is small, the conclusion is likely rather than certain.

Common mistakes and how to help

Collecting lots of data without a clear question

Measuring and counting feel like the real work, so pupils gather everything they can and only later wonder what it was for.

What helps: Ask “What are you trying to find out, and how will this measurement help?” before any data is collected. A short written question and a prediction make the day far more purposeful.

Thinking one measurement at one site is enough

It is quicker to take a single reading, and a single number looks like a fact. But one reading can be affected by a stone, a puddle or a busy moment.

What helps: Talk about repeating measurements and taking a mean. Ask whether the result would change if the same thing were counted at a different time of day.

Dismissing an anomaly as a mistake

Pupils often want results to match the prediction, so a reading that doesn’t fit gets rubbed out or ignored.

What helps: Treat odd results as clues. Was the site different, for instance a bridge, a bend or a building? Explaining an anomaly is a mark of good geography.

Writing a conclusion that just describes the graph

Pupils say “the line goes up” but don’t link back to the question, use figures, or admit what the data can’t show.

What helps: Use a simple pattern: answer the question, give two or three figures as evidence, offer a reason, then say how sure you are and why.

How to help at home

Compare two places on a family trip. Pick two contrasting spots, such as a village green and a town centre. Make a short list of things to score from 1 to 5, for example litter, noise, greenery and traffic, and compare the totals afterwards.
Do a safe count from a pavement or window. Count vehicles, people or shop types for ten minutes at two different times of day. Do it from a window or from a safe spot with an adult, and never close to the road edge. Then ask what explains the difference.
Ask a question and make a prediction. Before an outing, agree one question, such as “Will the park be quieter than the high street?”, and write a prediction. Check it afterwards and talk about whether you would trust the result.
Tidy up the evidence. Help your teenager turn their notes or photos into a simple table, a sketch map or a bar chart. Then look at a second source together, such as a map or an aerial photo of the same places, and ask whether it backs up their findings. Finish with two sentences of conclusion that include figures.

Builds on

Key Stage 2: Atlases, globes and digital maps
Key Stage 2: Compass points and grid references
Key Stage 2: Ordnance Survey map symbols
Key Stage 2: Fieldwork: observe and measure
Key Stage 2: Fieldwork: presenting findings