A group of Suffolk pupils have been examining the effects of coastal town regeneration.

The contingent, made up of around 70 Year 10 GCSE geography pupils from Stowupland High School, travelled to the town of Felixstowe where they conducted field studies.

Their focus was assessing the impact of urban development at two seafront spots, the pier and Beach Street.

These up-and-coming academics broke into teams to gather data, conducting foot traffic surveys and assessing the environment using quality scales of 1-6.

70 Year 10 GCSE geography pupils from Stowupland High School, travelled to the town of Felixstowe 70 Year 10 GCSE geography pupils from Stowupland High School, travelled to the town of Felixstowe (Image: Submitted)

Their in-depth studies also saw them talking to local people.

Chris Clarke, head of humanities, said: "Students were also tasked with speaking with members of the public about their view on the town’s regeneration."

They also took the time to assess the natural geography of Felixstowe's coast, studying the effect of tides and various coastal strategies at low-tide.

To study long shore drift, for example, they used a biodegradable orange.

Impact of urban development in Felixstowe analysed by Suffolk pupils Impact of urban development in Felixstowe analysed by Suffolk pupils (Image: Submitted)

Apart from assessing the physical, the pupils also examined human elements.

Gathering data by interacting with local people, the pupils got a first-hand understanding on how the town’s development impacted its inhabitants.

Praising the initiative, Mr Clarke said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to take what they have learned in lessons and use it in a practical way.

“This was a hands-on experience for them, conducting real experiments and recording real-life data.

Stowupland High School students conduct field studies on costal regeneration Stowupland High School students conduct field studies on coastal regeneration (Image: Submitted)

“You couldn’t have asked for a better week to do it – we were blessed with two beautiful days of sunshine.

“They were a real credit to the school and young people in general.”

The learning excursion, an addition to the curriculum, has helped students gather real-life experiences and insights – both in nature and civil society.