On 11 May, 55 Year 12 students, accompanied by five staff members, set off for the Preston Montford Field Studies Centre in Shropshire for a four-day ecology field course. The first three days were packed with hands-on learning as students explored a variety of habitats, practised different ecological sampling methods, and honed their data analysis skills. By the fourth day, they were confidently developing their own individual investigations - each student formulating a personal inquiry question, hypothesis, risk assessment, and method before heading out to collect data independently.

We were fortunate to enjoy glorious weather throughout the trip, which made the experience all the more enjoyable. It was fantastic to see everyone fully engaged - whether knee-deep in ponds or elbow-deep in hedgerows - measuring soil pH, light intensity, humidity, and other key abiotic factors. Outside of the structured sessions, students embraced the chance to unplug, with barely a mobile phone in sight. Instead, they made the most of their downtime playing a giant game of sardines or an inventive version of frisbee rounders.

The staff at the centre were full of praise for our students, who conducted themselves with maturity, enthusiasm, and curiosity. They truly represented the school with pride. Overall, it was a hugely successful week - enriching not only from an academic perspective, but also in the way it fostered teamwork, independence, and a genuine love of learning in the great outdoors.