Sign in
5 May 2026
Read time: 6 minutes
‘Young people often just accept their area as it stands and don’t question why it is like it is. What shaped the landscape both physical and human that they walk through today?’
Paula Richardson
The National Festival of Fieldwork (NFF) established by the GA will celebrate its fifth year in 2026! Many thousands of pupils have taken part over the life of the project, and we are hoping that 2026 will be no exception.
Fieldwork is an essential part of geography as it uses the outdoors as a resource for learning: it allows pupils to see that the world is often quite a ‘messy place’ which can be a very important experience for them. Young people often just accept their area as it stands and don’t question why it is like it is. What shaped the landscape both physical and human that they walk through today?
Fieldwork offers them a real chance to find out more about places, people and their environment through developing a curiosity about a place, encouraging them to think more critically about their findings and raise questions about their observations. Outside is a real resource for understanding geography!
So, what can you do to help your pupils enjoy some fieldwork experiences and investigations?
First, visit the National Festival of Fieldwork pages on the GA website. A wealth of information has been created on these NFF webpages and this year there will be new activities added to the list. There is also a certificate which can be downloaded and given to students for participating in fieldwork, as well as a whole school certificate. There is no cost involved in participating in the National Festival of Fieldwork and absolutely everyone can take part.
Every area has potential for investigation
The more problems and issues the better: a new one for 2026 might be potholes! Everyone has a view on these and so an investigation into potholes in your area could be very productive from mapping them (from the safety of the pavement) to identifying the main locations – are these at traffic lights, junctions, or parts of a road which have been repaired before. Pupils can interview people to find out the impact of them, collect newspaper articles and images and possibly have a meeting with their local council transport section to find out ‘the why, the how and the when’ of potholes in their area.
Using a drone
It may well be that some parents or even school staff use drones legally and safely. They could be asked to fly the area you are studying to give an overview and stimulate discussions. Some pupils may never have seen the area before in this way and will find this method of starting an investigation very exciting
Traffic issues
This is a topic which has great potential almost everywhere and provides a wealth of material for investigation. However, it is important to go beyond the simple traffic count and really dig into the issues and challenges linked to traffic in your area.
To start the line of enquiry
Before going out discuss what type of issues might be found. What is pupils’ experience of traffic, and which possible challenges are they aware of? These could range from difficulty in crossing the road to parking issues to noise pollution.
In the fieldwork area
- pupils identify and record the issues regarding traffic
- are these being controlled and if so, how?
- if not – what would be a good method to use?
Pupils can either be given a free choice to decide how these might be dealt with or be provided with a list of options which might include:
- traffic wardens – school crossing officers
- pedestrianised areas
- road humps (also known as ‘sleeping policemen’ or speed bumps) or chicanes
- yellow lines – white zig zag lines to limit parking times
- road closures, cul-de-sacs, no through roads and one way roads
- restricted speed zones e.g. 20 miles per hour speed limit
- a by-pass.
Ways to finalise the project
Take pictures of some of the ways in which traffic control has been observed, these can be discussed back in class as to how well they work. What effect do they have on traffic flow/speed? Images can be added to a local map. Are some areas more affected than others?
If the traffic issues are significant and there are few ways of controlling them at present, which of the options would work best in the area? A class vote can be done following a discussion.
If traffic is not controlled what are the possible outcomes for the area?
Sometimes local authorities introduce timed parking in streets near transport hubs, but this often squeezes traffic parking further out into residential street. Is this happening in your area?
Pupils can end the project by sending a letter to the local council making suggestions and providing solutions to challenges in the local community: this way they really do become citizen geographers. They are ready for their National Festival of Fieldwork certificates!
Find out more and view the National Festival of Fieldwork resources here.
Written by Paula Richardson
Paula Richardson is an author, education adviser and trustee of the GA, member of the Publications Board and Fieldwork and Outdoor Learning SIG (FOLSIG).
© Paula Richardson and the Geographical Association, 2026
