Year 11 Geographers Explore Quality of Life in Tower Hamlets

At the end of Autumn Term 1, Year 11 geographers travelled to East London to carry out their compulsory urban fieldwork for Topic 6 in Paper 2. The trip also supported their learning in Topic 5, where students study UK cities and how they have changed over time.

Their fieldwork enquiry question was: “To what extent does quality of life vary in Tower Hamlets?” To investigate this, students selected two contrasting sites: Canary Wharf and Brick Lane.

At each location, they collected primary data using land-use surveys, environmental quality surveys, questionnaires, and epitome words (first impressions and descriptive words that came to mind).

Before arriving at the two fieldwork sites, students took to the air on the IFS Cable Car, giving them a unique aerial perspective of the borough and its contrasting land uses.

Their conclusion was clear: quality of life does vary within Tower Hamlets. Canary Wharf showed higher incomes and a greater range of high-end services, but lacked a strong community feel. In contrast, Brick Lane demonstrated a stronger sense of community and greater diversity.

A huge thank you to the Geography team, the staff who supported the trip, and TfL/IFS Cable Car for providing free travel.