On Wednesday, our Year 12 Geography students headed out on a local fieldwork day to support their A-level studies of Changing Spaces. The group visited three contrasting locations: East Boldon, Sunderland City Centre, and Hendon. Each site offered a different perspective on how places develop, change, and are experienced by the people who live and work there.

In East Boldon, students explored a suburban village environment with a strong sense of community identity. They then moved into Sunderland City Centre, where ongoing regeneration projects, such as the Riverside redevelopment, Sheepfolds Stables, Keel Crossing and square and new city-centre living schemes, provided real-world examples of investment transforming the urban landscape. The final stop, Hendon, allowed students to investigate an inner-city neighbourhood shaped by its industrial past and current regeneration priorities.

Throughout the day, students collected data, carried out environmental quality surveys, and reflected on how demographic, economic and cultural factors influence the character of a place. This fieldwork will directly support their upcoming assessments and helps deepen the strong sense of place needed for success at A-level.