Learners from Solihull School became some of the first to take part in a series of courses in Birmingham from the Field Studies Council looking at urban regeneration.
The Field Studies Council has created a special series of courses focused around the Key Stage 3 geography curriculum.
Aimed at helping GCSE and A-Level geography students better understand urban growth and regeneration they look at real-life projects and case studies from across the city.
The students from Solihull School took part in sessions covering a range of themes, including changing places, regeneration, economic growth and changing city environments.
Activities involve field work and data collection around the city, through observation of Birmingham’s environment and producing questionnaires for residents. The GCSE Economic Growth course also includes opportunities to investigate economic change in Stratford and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, identifying the change from industrial east London, to a retail and sporting hub.
“For teachers, the courses are a great way of cementing theoretical learning from inside the classroom, as well as embedding enquiry skills…”
Jo Harris, education manager for the Field Studies Council
Jo Harris, education manager for the Field Studies Council, said: “We are so excited to be leading these urban fieldwork courses in Birmingham, helping young people to better understand urban environments and how they change and develop over time.
“As the UK’s second largest city, the area is rich with real-life examples of urban regeneration projects to showcase to the students and get them thinking about the socio-economic, environmental and cultural opportunities and challenges that they present.
“If we want to nurture the next generation of successful urban designers, town planners and big city thinkers then young people need to understand the relationships between our natural and built environments and learn about the impact of change, and these courses challenge students to think about all these things.
“They also teach students about urban fieldwork techniques – skills they can use in real life should they go on to work in a built-environment-related career - and they allow students to apply their knowledge in a real-world setting.
“For teachers, the courses are a great way of cementing theoretical learning from inside the classroom, as well as embedding enquiry skills, and we are looking forward to working with more schools and colleges from across the area in 2025.”
What’s available for schools?
Nine Birmingham-based courses are currently available for schools through the Field Studies Council. Teaching sites can be reached by train or coach and include: Perry Barr – location of the Commonwealth Games 2022, The Bullring, Digbeth, Millennium Point, Edgbaston and Ladywood.
To make a booking enquiry, teachers and EVCs can call 01743 852040 or email enquiries.bhm@field-studies-council.org.
For information about the resources and courses available to school groups, visit the Field Studies Council website.
