Geographers in the Divisions visited the River Chess this year as part of their GCSE specification requirement. They investigated the physical characteristics and how they changed with distance downstream.
Interestingly, we found the results did not match the Bradshaw Model, because humans have indirectly influenced the river so much. For example, at Chesham Moor, water is diverted into the stream away from roads and houses, which may have sped up our velocity readings. At Sarratt Mill, the land use had more vegetation, which would slow the lag time after a rainfall event and the water treatment works may have affected our cross sectional area conclusions. At Scotsbridge Mill, the Three Rivers local authority had employed workers to build up artificial embankments to protect the footpath from flooding and this affected our width readings.
The weather was kind to us on both days out, and the boys’ behaviour and focus resulted in a fulfilling and enjoyable day. The trip served as great preparation for students to sit their Paper 3 in 2026.
