Biology Department Outings
The department gives students opportunities to see Biology in action out of the classroom. Various trips and visits occur throughout the year, and boys should look out for notices in the Newsletter and on the noticeboards advertising these non-curricular outings.
In July of 2006 a joint Biology-Geography expedition explored Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands (left)
The Eden Project
One such trip was organised this Spring by Dr Fletcher to the Eden Project in Cornwall.
During the weekend trip we also had chance to visit the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth, and to look around the surfing centre of Newquay.
Forty four boys from Years 10 to 13 went away for the weekend to Cornwall, taking over a hotel, close to the town centre of Newquay. Highlight of the trip was a guided tour of the Eco-domes of the Eden Project. Our two guides were excellent, humorous, and incredibly knowledgeable, and gave our groups a fantastic tour of the very impressive Bio-zones.
The hotel provided excellent meals, and allowed both staff and boys to relax in the middle of a very busy term.
Each zone is designed to represent the different Biomes on the planet. The tropical rain forest zone is kept hot and humid, and contains all the important plants specific to that region. As can be seen from the photograph, entire villages are reconstructed within the dome.
Huge waterfalls give relief from the heat and humidity, and special areas are set up to show all the useful products man can harvest from the plants around us.
Year 11 trip to Stoke Bardolph
As part of the GCSE specification, students are required to understand the workings of a modern sewage treatment facility. Where better than Stoke Bardolph, which has to deal with the effluent from the whole of Nottingham.
As can be seen, Health and Safety is paramount, and all the boys are equipped with the necessary protective gear before they see the process close up.
Stoke Bardolph is a relatively new, multi-million pound facility. It has several different processes involving aerobic treatment using microbes, and does not smell as much as the students expect!
The staff there are very professional, and are accustomed to giving tours to GCSE students. They give excellent descriptions of each stage of the treatment, and also collect samples from the water to be viewed under the video microscope back in the education building.
In February of 2007 Mr. Saperia has organised a visit for all Year 12 to a local brewery in order for students to see Biotechnology in action. Details to follow!
