Year 7 are starting to explore their local area in Geography this term and are discovering more about the physical and human factors that have shaped Bristol as a city. On a slightly grey November day, we headed to Bristol Harbourside. We had a lovely boat trip along the river investigating the changes in land use that have taken place and experienced first-hand the shift from heavy industry to the growth in residential, commercial and leisure sectors. The girls heard about the old gas works that used seal and whale blubber to produce gas for Bristol’s street lighting and saw the new restaurants that have recently established.
The girls were tasked with redesigning the area in teams and the competitive element grew. We explored different areas of Bristol Harbourside looking for inspiration and assessing the environmental quality. They carefully considering ideas that they thought had been successful and aspects to avoid when it came to producing their final designs.
Back at school, the girls worked industriously to produce and then pitch their projects to the rest of the year group. With real purpose and energy, the ideas flowed. Concepts for Bristol’s future were diverse. They ranged from increasing sport and health in the community by having climbing walls and activity centres based in the area, showcasing creativity by including a creative space for visiting artists, and increasing the amount of green space. A great day was had by all and the Geography Department would like to congratulate all the Year 7s who put so much thought and energy into the day.
Ms Morgan
