Being located in the ecologically diverse Brecon Beacons National Park, and close to the beaches of the Gower and South Wales, Pendarren House is perfectly located to undertake field studies in both geography and biology. The experience and local knowledge of the Pendarren House Staff give any group the opportunity to study these environments in full. The teaching team includes qualified teachers and all the team have in depth knowledge of the local environment.
Many of these study days can be combined with adventurous activities to enhance the enjoyment of, and learning about, our mountain or coastal environments.

GEOGRAPHY GCSE

Our GCSE week enables students to get out into the environment and fully immerse themselves in the geography. This allows students to put theoretical knowledge from the classroom into a truly memorable real life context. For each examination board we can focus on the following ideas;
AQA enables teachers to deliver the full GCSE geography fieldwork controlled assessment and write up.
Edexcel Research and undertake fieldwork in an appropriate environment in order to prepare their portfolio and to undertake under high control conditions the ‘write up’ phase of their controlled assessment.
OCR enables teachers to quickly and easily deliver the GCSE geography fieldwork controlled assessment and write up.
WJEC opportunities to extend research and undertake fieldwork in an appropriate environment in order to prepare their portfolio to take forward to the high control ‘write up’ phase of their controlled assessment.
For example, we can focus upon: coastal landforms, sand dune morphology, conurbation studies and comparisons, glaciation, river studies from the mountains to the sea, primary industries and their impact.

GEOGRAPHY A Level

Students will carry out a fieldwork enquiries collect case-study material to help them answer questions in many areas. We can provide fieldwork opportunities covering topics such as extreme weather, crowded coasts, unequal spaces, rebranding places, cold climate, cultural diversity, river studies, coastal erosion.
AQA
• Unit 1 Physical and Human Geography
• Unit 2 (Geographical Skills).
• Unit 3 Contemporary Geographical Issues
• Unit 4A Geographical Fieldwork Investigation
Edexcel Fieldwork is compulsory in Edexcel
• Unit 2 Geographical Investigations
OCR
• Unit 1 F761: Managing Physical Environments
• Unit 2 F762: Managing Change in Human Environments
• Unit 4 F764: Geographical Skills
• Unit 3 F763: Global Issues
WJEC
• Unit G1 Changing Physical Environments
• Unit G2 Changing Human Environments
• Unit G3 Contemporary Themes and Research in Geography

SCIENCE KS4

For all exam boards we run courses that enable students to undertake investigative fieldwork to help prepare them for Controlled Assessments

BIOLOGY A LEVEL

During the week students will investigate some of the following concepts: biodiversity, adaptations, variation, classification, conservation, ecological relationships, energy and ecosystems, the physical environment, the effects of human activities and sustainability. We use fieldwork to help students gain a strong understanding of how science works and to firmly embed these ideas with practical learning. We can cover aspects of the following areas of the specifications from the examination boards.
AQA
• Unit 2 – The variety of living organisms
• Unit 3 – Investigative and practical skills in AS Biology
• Unit 4 – Populations and environment
• Unit 6 – Investigative and practical skills in A2 Biology
Edexcel
• Unit 2 – biodiversity, adaptations and natural selection as well as enabling
• Unit 3 – Practical Biology and Research Skills, to be completed.
• Unit 4 – The Natural Environment and Species Survival. Conservation issues will
• Unit 6 – Practical Biology and Investigative Skills
OCR
• Unit F212 , Module 3 – Biodiversity and Evolution They will investigate diverse habitats, developing investigation and fieldwork skills for
• Unit F213 – Practical skills in Biology 1.
• Unit 215, Module 3 – Effects of Human activities and sustainability
• Unit F216 – Practical skills in Biology 2.
WJEC
• Biology 2 – Biodiversity and physiology of Body Systems
• Biology 3 – AS Practical Assessment
• Biology 5 – Environment, Genetics and Evolution
• Biology 6 – AL Practical Assessment

Environmental Science

AQA
AS students will investigate biodiversity, conservation, ecological relationships and the physical environment, increasing their understanding of the environment and developing their practical skills.
A2 students will have the opportunity to study ‘first hand’ the impacts of human activities on the environment. Students will be given opportunities to revise and develop their practical skills, by refining some of the AS practical skills and introducing more complex techniques.