Two professionals from Balfour Beatty Penney, an Engineer with a background in environmental sciences, and Daniel, who has a background in Geology, joined our year 10 learners as part of their paper 2 geography project to answer, ‘how far is London ready to be a megacity by 2050’? The content of the project involved lessons that taught learners what constitutes a mega city, a city that has a population of 10 million or more, and how it is run.
Our learners began this topic by exploring social, economic and environmental challenges of urban change in London. They looked at how London has social inequalities and how some industries have changed, especially in the Docklands and Shoreditch areas. They also analysed environmental challenges such as air, water and waste pollution. And how London’s old infrastructure – the roads, tube lines, sewage systems, ports and airports need huge amounts of money and investment for upgrading. They then learned about the opportunities, and how London’s diversity makes it one of the best problem-solving cities in the world.
The learners were split into different groups- environmental, social, resources (food, water and energy) and infrastructure. They then had to present their findings to our guests from Balfour Beatty, to answer how far they believed London was ready to be a megacity in the near future. Learners presented strong ideas with clear opinions on what they believed to be the most important aspect London needs to focus on for it to be a megacity.
After giving valuable feedback, our guests then opened the floor for our learners to ask questions. They asked several fantastic questions such as the best route to take with Geography, and the biggest projects that have worked on with Balfour Beatty.
‘I really enjoyed the project, and now I am absolutely determined to peruse Geography for my future. It encompasses everything we need to have for our future and our survival. We couldn’t live without it. It is constantly evolving and is never dull’ Junior, Year 10 learner.
After the project, learners completed a 12-mark exam question ‘To what extent is London ready to be a megacity by 2050?’. This mirrors the skills tested in a real 12-mark exam question from the AQA Geography GCSE specification. Learners on average achieved 1.5 grades more than they had previously on any other assessment!
‘This is testament to how employer led projects not only supports our learner’s academic achievements but enhances them. They have learned about careers opportunities that Geography can open and how Geography translates in the real world. They heard and saw how Balfour Beatty are preparing London to be a megacity. These are such exciting opportunities that would not be found in elsewhere. We are incredibly lucky. And I hope the learners continue to learn, value and enjoy such projects. We thank Balfour Beatty for taking the time to support our learners and enriching their learning’. Sabrin, Lead Humanities.
