During the trip, students visited key locations, including Stratford High Street, the Carpenters Estate, the Olympic Park, East Village, and Westfield Shopping Centre. Their focus was to examine inequalities across the Newham Ward and assess the successes and challenges of the Lower Lea Valley regeneration project.

Highlights of the Fieldwork:

• Exploring Urban Transformation: Students conducted surveys to understand local perceptions and experiences, analysing the social, economic, and environmental changes in Stratford
• Comparing Communities: By visiting contrasting areas such as the Carpenters Estate and East Village, students examined how regeneration has affected different groups within the community
• Retail Analysis: A shopping comparison in two Stratford postcodes helped students identify patterns of socio-economic change
• Creative Perspectives: Students selected and photographed locations, considering how they could be represented in media such as TV dramas

This hands-on experience is not only a required component of the A-Level Geography course, but also an invaluable opportunity to apply classroom learning to real-world scenarios.

Harry, Year 12, has written this fantastic write-up of his first-hand experience:

"On the 12^th December, as a part of our A-Level Geography course, we visited the East London town of Stratford to explore inequalities and urban change across the area. This will help us with the Changing Places and Contemporary Urban Environments sections of our course.

On the trip, we carried out several types of geographical surveys including:

• Population Survey

• Environmental Quality Survey

• Housing Survey

• Perception and Experience Survey

• Crime Risk Assessment

We conducted these in contrasting locations: The Carpenter’s Estate and The East Village. The Carpenter’s Estate was initially developed to provide housing for industrial workers. In 2000, Newham Council identified the need for substantial improvements to the estate. However, due to financial restrictions, these improvements were never carried out, leaving the area in a very poor and unsuitable condition for its residents.

Although these areas were the main focus of our trip, we also carried out surveys on Stratford Highstreet and Westfield Shopping Centre before making a visit to the Velodrome in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Originally constructed for the 2012 Olympics, the park has since been transformed into a vibrant public space featuring sports venues, cultural attractions, and green spaces, offering a variety of recreational activities and events year-round.

We are proud of our students for their enthusiasm and dedication throughout the trip, and we thank parents and carers for their continued support in making such enriching opportunities possible.