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The purpose of this set of resources is to provide support, guidance and ideas for teachers who want to investigate secondary data as part of fieldwork with their pupils.
Together, they trace a spiralised progression pathway so that every time a pupil engages with secondary data as part of their fieldwork, they have an opportunity to build on what they have done before, rather than repeat the same technique in different locations or environments.
However, they also work as standalone resources, providing an idea of what a high-quality use of secondary data might look like for each key stage.
Secondary data refers to information that has been collected by someone else and is then used by pupils or researchers in their own geographical enquiry. This contrasts with primary data, which is collected firsthand by the person conducting the fieldwork.
Examples of secondary data in geography include census results, weather and climate records, old photographs, maps, newspaper articles, websites, reports, and satellite images. Secondary data can be especially useful when it is impractical or impossible to collect information directly, such as long-term trends, large-scale demographic patterns, or historical changes.
While secondary data is often easier, quicker, and less costly to obtain than primary data, pupils must consider its relevance, reliability, and how up-to-date it is for their particular investigation.
Investigating secondary data – lessons by key stage
The Geographical Association (GA) has worked closely with the Field Studies Council (FSC) to develop these resources.
