On the morning of Monday, February 5th, our sixth form Geography students were privileged to engage with David Holmes, author, examiner, consultant and former teacher of Geography.

David Holmes is an experienced senior examiner for the Edexcel examination board, textbook author, NEA expert and fieldwork trainer. The sessions consisted of presentations and practical exercises with particular emphasis on examination technique. 

It was an ideal opportunity for Year 12 and Year 13 students to meet an experienced examiner for their specification in person and to ask questions about examination technique, the independent investigation and how to prepare for A Level examinations.

Drawing upon his wealth of experience, David led a series of workshops to enhance our students’ grasp of subject assessment. In these sessions, David shared exceptionally valuable insights, finely tuned to guide students in crafting effective examination responses.

In the afternoon, he extended his expertise to a session with the Foundation Geography staff. During this engaging and thought-provoking workshop, we delved into the intriguing realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential applications in Geography A level. The session proved to be both fascinating and slightly nerve-wracking, offering us a glimpse into the evolving landscape of technology in education.

This is the fifth time that David Holmes has visited the Foundation and his presentations are always very informative and valuable to our students as they diligently prepare for their examinations. The insights that David provides, in particular how to tackle examination questions and individual investigations, have been invaluable for improvement in student performance.  It is such a pleasure and a privilege to have him here; we are immensely grateful to him for taking time out of his exceptionally busy schedule to come from Somerset to be with us. 

Mr R Tribe

Head of Geography