On day two , a tour of a hydroelectric power plant allowed us to cement our knowledge of the IB Physics course . I was shocked by the scale of the dam . Our guides explained how the plant worked , giving us insights into real-world details of power generation .
That afternoon , we visited CERN , the highlight of the trip and home of the Large Hadron Collider . Learning particle physics in the classroom felt somewhat abstract to me , full of theories about particles too small to be seen , with wacky names like ‘ strange quark ’ and ‘ lepton ’. We were welcomed to the home of these discoveries and faced with the real scientific research behind our theory . We learned how scientists funnel particles out of the collider to run specific experiments on them , and about the amount of computer power required to do so . While we didn ’ t get to see the collider itself , because of the radiation risk while it is running , we saw the experiments operating above ground and met the scientists and engineers who work with them .
Our stay would not have been complete without an excursion to buy some of Switzerland ’ s most famous product : chocolate . Many thanks to Mr Tate , Mrs Haworth , Mr Mavroleon and Miss Kraass for making this trip possible !
Payton Hawkins , Upper Sixth
GEOGRAPHY FIELD TRIP TO SLAPTON
Slapton , one of the UK ’ s most renowned geophysical and biological natural environments , was an essential part of our IB Geography experience .
We ventured to the Devon coast in September . Upon arrival at the fieldwork centre , we set off to Torcross to partake in a pilot study . Here we tested our methodology for the following day as there were some unfamiliar practical methods , such as beach profiling and pebble sampling . Once completed and back at base camp we tucked into a Sunday roast . True to Miss Harris ’ s words , the weather did not disappoint . Who can complain about two days of sunshine by the sea ?
Day two – looking like real geographers carrying our ranging poles , callipers and tape measures – we set off on our expedition . Starting at the picturesque settlement Hallsands , we couldn ’ t escape the eerie sense of abandonment : a village that had been swept away in a storm in 1917 . Seeing the destruction caused to this settlement reinforced the importance of coastal protection ; the focus of our research question . Our next stop was Beesands , home to Jane ,
Brian and Charlie , who gave us local insight into the difficulties they face in attempting to protect their home without council support . Collecting data on the beach ’ s profile , we were able to compare the undefended and defended parts of the beach at this site .
Following a waterfront lunchbreak , we made our way to Torcross where we completed bipolar and land use surveys . These surveys not only considered the physical factors of the landscape but also its social and economic value . After walking over 10km , we made it to our final data collection site : Slapton Sands . Here we conducted our final set of pebble sampling and beach profiling . The teachers ’ preparedness and organisation of our data collection cannot be faulted and was greatly appreciated by us all . On behalf of the Upper Sixth geographers , thank you to the staff at the fieldwork centre , and to Miss Harris , Mr Lilley , Mr Danby and Mrs Andrews
Charlie Peters , Antonia Norris and Charlie Moulton , Upper Sixth
MÁLAGA EXCHANGE
Every year , Sevenoaks takes part in an exchange with Colegio Cerrado de Calderón , a school in the beautiful city of Málaga , Spain . This year the Spanish students spent nine days in our school , staying with families or in boarding houses before we went back with them to Málaga , to live with their families for ten days .
Hosting students from Spain was a challenging experience . However , everyone enjoyed having the Spanish students staying with them , as we could take our time making a new friend . I think the most challenging part was that our brains rarely got a rest ; we had to be thinking constantly about making sure the students could understand what we were saying and our plans for the week . They told us they enjoyed the experience of boarding , and also visiting London .
104 TRIPS , CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES