a level geography coursework coastal management

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• A level coastal fieldwork

This presentation, written by Andy Owen, is one of a range of resources which the GA has developed in partnership with the Environment Agency. It provides support for students of A level geography who have decided to locate their independent investigation (NEA or non-examined assessment) in a coastal environment, and it focuses on planning and the literature review.

The literature review is an important element of any independent investigation: students need to show evidence that they understand the geographical generalisations (models or concepts or theories) that underpin their investigation.

This presentation reminds students about two important generalisations that help explain coastal landforms and coastal processes: it briefly examines equilibrium and sediment cells.

It goes on to provide four worked examples so that students can practise reading and interpreting four different types of literature that might help them develop and conduct an independent investigation on the North Norfolk coast.

Download : A Level Coastal Fieldwork PowerPoint Presentation

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75+ A-Level Geography Investigation NEA Ideas

In A-Level by Think Student Editor January 5, 2021 Leave a Comment

A-Level coursework is one of the most interesting and stressful parts of an A-Level course: you finally get to have control over what you research and write about…but where do you start? An NEA or Independent Investigation is completely your own research report. Besides all the formatting questions, the first challenge you have to overcome is figuring out what question to research. Where do you begin? How do you filter out all your ideas into just one question?

Don’t worry if you don’t have an idea for your NEA straight away – I definitely didn’t! This article is here to give you some inspiration for the subject for your A-Level Geography NEA.

What is an A-Level Geography NEA?

A-Level Geography NEA is the coursework part of Geography A-Level . It’s a compulsory part of the A-Level, meaning that it’s graded against a set of assessment objectives, like your exams. For your NEA coursework, you choose your own question based on either physical or human geography .

Physical geography NEA ideas could relate to the coast, glaciers, or other areas of the environment. Typically, NEA questions will relate to a topic you’ve studied as part of the exam portion of your A-Level, but they don’t have to be.

Human geography NEA ideas could relate to urban areas, migration, or globalisation and other human development areas. Most of the time, they’ll be focused on your local area , but it doesn’t have to be if you feel like you’d be too restricted!

Linked here are the guidelines for A-Level Geography NEA for all four UK exam boards: AQA , OCR , Pearson Edexcel , and WJEC Eduqas .

What does an A-Level Geography NEA look like?

The exam boards, and your school, allow you to compile your research findings however you like . You can include graphs, charts, photos, in any colour or order you want.

However, there will probably be some rough guidelines, as an NEA is expected to be formatted like a typical research paper . Graphs, charts, and photos should be labelled, and you should use a sensible font and letter size.

The Royal Geographical Society has a student guide to completing an NEA, linked here .

How long is an A-Level Geography NEA?

Generally, there is no official cap on the word count for an NEA report, but most exam boards and schools suggest 3000-4000 words. 2000 words is generally thought to be too little, and anything above 6,000 words is considered too much.

The reason for an official cap on an NEA word count is that everyone’s research is unique, and you’ll have different things to say than other people, which may take more or less words.

My A-Level Geography NEA was 5,000 words, so even though it was a little over the recommended word limit, it was still allowed. When writing your NEA, try and keep your sentences clear and concise.

How much of A-Level Geography is an NEA worth?

For the four UK exam boards, an A-Level Geography NEA is worth 20% of your A-Level. This may not seem like a lot relative to the amount of work you’ll put into an NEA, but it’s worth more than you might think. It essentially replaces one exam.

It’s also worth it for the experience, as many of the formatting and writing techniques you pick up during an NEA can be taken into higher education.

This Think Student article has a list of the most respected A-Level subjects, of which A-Level Geography is a part!

What makes a good A-Level Geography NEA idea?

An NEA is a very individual experience, and what makes an idea “good” is also quite personal . It’s a good idea to pick a question based on something you’re actually interested in, because your enthusiasm will show through your work and boost your investigation that much more.

“Good” NEA ideas are usually the ones that allow you to use several different data sets . This means you aren’t just collecting one type of data, and you have to use different data presentations and a wide range of analysis.

Similarly, your NEA idea should be broad enough to explore a few different ideas, but also be focused in one particular area , e.g. coastal management. NEA ideas are usually either a topic from physical geography or human geography, but it can sometimes be a mix of both.

A-Level Geography NEA ideas

Below is a list of ideas for your A-Level Geography NEA, split into physical and human geography. These are just ideas to get you thinking about what you want to write about – your NEA title needs to be formatted as a question.

I hope these ideas have given you inspiration. Good luck writing your NEA!

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Coastal Management

Attempts by humans to manage coastal erosion .

There are a number of reasons why coastal management strategies are used to combat erosion . Some areas of the coastline are very heavily populated. They are areas of high economic value due to tourism . Coastlines are particularly prone to flooding. Finally, they are fragile ecosystems which take a long time to recover if they are destroyed. Where the coastline is of high value, the local authority will protect it from coastal erosion.

Techniques for managing the physical processes of coastal erosion, transportation and deposition can be divided into hard engineering options (such as building sea walls and groynes) and soft engineering options (such as beach nourishment and managed retreat).

Hard engineering is when expensive, man-made solutions to coastal erosion are constructed to protect the coast. They are effective, however, they do not blend in well with the natural environment. Soft engineering involves working with nature to manage the impact of coastal erosion. It is often less expensive than hard engineering, though it is often less effective.

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The Holderness Coast

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Coastal Management - AQA A Level Geography

Subject: Geography

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

4 February 2022

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Lesson 7 for AQA A Level Geography section B. This is the seven lesson in section B, an optional physical geography module (choose from coasts, glaciers or hot deserts) to be taught alongside modules from section A and C. This lesson covers hard and soft engineering, as well as shoreline management plans and integrated coastal zone management.

All lessons are designed in the same signature style and come with worksheets and exam questions to match the specification. No other resources are needed.

For more resources visit This is Geography . Full SoW for all new GCSE specifications - AQA , Edexcel , OCR , CIE IGCSE , Edexcel IGCSE and Eduqas . As well as over 200 lessons for KS3 and KS2 . Want something bespoke designing? Email us for further details [email protected]

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Coastal Systems and Landscapes - Section B - AQA A Level Geography

9 part lesson series for section B (physical geography) of the AQA A Level, Coastal Systems and Landscapes. This unit covers the features of the coast, sea level rise, human interaction with the coast, processes and future developments. All lessons are designed in the same signature style and come with worksheets and exam questions to match the specification. No other resources are needed. Lesson sequence: 1- The Coastal System 2 - Coastal Processes 3 - Coastal Erosional Landforms 4 - Coastal Depositional Landforms 5 - Sea Level Change (1) 6 - Sea Level Change (2) 7 - Coastal Management 8 - Coastal Environment - Case Study 9 - Human at the Coast - Case Study For more resources visit [**This is Geography**](http://thisisgeography.co.uk). Full SoW for all new GCSE specifications - [AQA](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/gcse/), [Edexcel](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/edexcel), [OCR](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/ocr/), [CIE IGCSE](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/igcse/), [Edexcel IGCSE](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/edec/) and [Eduqas](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/eduqas/). As well as over 200 lessons for [KS3](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/ks3/) and [KS2](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/ks2/). Want something bespoke designing? Email us for further details [[email protected]](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/bespoke-modules-2/)

Section A and B - AQA A Level Geography

18 part lesson series for section A and B of AQA A Level Geography. All lessons are designed in the same signature style and come with worksheets and exam questions to match the specification. No other resources are needed. Lesson sequence: Section A 1- Natural Systems 2 - The Water Cycle 3 - Drainage Basins 4 - Variations in run off and the water cycle 5 - The Carbon Cycle (1) 6 - The Carbon Cycle (2) 7 - Water, Carbon and Climate 8 - The Amazon Rainforest - Case Study 9 - The Eden Basin - Case Study Section B 1- The Coastal System 2 - Coastal Processes 3 - Coastal Erosional Landforms 4 - Coastal Depositional Landforms 5 - Sea Level Change (1) 6 - Sea Level Change (2) 7 - Coastal Management 8 - Coastal Environment - Case Study 9 - Human at the Coast - Case Study For more resources visit [**This is Geography**](http://thisisgeography.co.uk). Full SoW for all new GCSE specifications - [AQA](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/gcse/), [Edexcel](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/edexcel), [OCR](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/ocr/), [CIE IGCSE](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/igcse/), [Edexcel IGCSE](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/edec/) and [Eduqas](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/eduqas/). As well as over 200 lessons for [KS3](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/ks3/) and [KS2](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/ks2/). Want something bespoke designing? Email us for further details [[email protected]](https://thisisgeography.co.uk/bespoke-modules-2/)

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Walton on the naze coursework

SAMUEL COLE 5C

HOW EFFECTIVE ARE COASTAL MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES AT WALTON ON THE NAZE?

    The aim of the coursework is to find out how effective coastal defences on the north and south beaches at Walton on The Naze, Essex. We have knowledge that the north beach is unprotected, whereas the south beach is protected by man made defences. The naze has been chosen, because it shows a coastline which is eroding very quickly and is also relatively close to our school. A comparison can be seen between the two sides i.e. The North beach appears to show cliffs that are eroding very rapidly, whereas the south beach erosion is less apparent. Two beaches differ significantly and therefore make a fine area to do the coursework. These questions will be asked to help reach a conclusion:

--What evidence is there to show that erosion still takes place?

--What evidence is there that long shore drift is taking place?

--Do the coastal defences on the South Beach affect the North beach?

--Is there a noticeable effect of longshore drift on the coastline?  

Location Of Walton On The Naze?

SEQUENCE OF STUDY

PRODUCE AIM AND INTRODUCTION FOR INVESTIGATION

WRITE OUT THE METHOD

COMBINE ALL GATHERED DATA

(Input all data collected on trip into charts and graphs)

CONDUCT WIDER BACKGROUND SEARCH

(Receive secondary data)

ANALYSE DATA

(Assess the data assuring there are no irregularities)

WRITE UP A CONCLUSION FOR EACH HYPOTHESIS

A FINAL CONCLUSION

ARE THE CLIFFS AT WALTON ON THE NAZE STILL ERODING?

DATA COLLECTION

This experiment was carried out on the 11 th  July 2008 in Walton on the naze, Essex.

   I needed to investigate the evidence that erosion was still taking place on the north beach . In order to perform this, I measured the width from the old pillbox to the bottom of the cliff. I used a measuring tape.  The measurement was very relevant because knowing this would help validate how far the cliffs were retreating over a span of years.

--An issue in collecting this data was that we could not walk directly onto the slump, for safety reasons. I also did not have the exact placement of the pillbox.

  To overcome these issues above, I took another set of readings measuring the angle to the top of the beach using ranging poles and  clinometers. Putting these two results together. I can work out how far the cliffs have retreated since 1945,and then how much it is retreating on average each year. The ranging poles were set at 20m intervals. The height we measured this was at 1.5m.This is shown clearly in the diagram below.

This is a preview of the whole essay

These angles would benefit me in working out the measurement of the cliff height (helps me to know how high above sea level the cliff is)

Analysis and conclusion

From the results, I can deduce that the north beach is eroding and we can address the measurement as 38.5 metres in 63 years. However this is not fully accurate because we only measured the slump and not the cliff face itself. (due to it being dangerous). This information has helped me to understand that the North beach is eroding at a rate of 1.23 metres per year. This is a very quick rate and there are numerous reasons to help explore and analyse this. I have showed in early paragraphs the evidence of erosion at the Naze. However this alarming rate of erosion leads me to my sub-question: Why is the North beach eroding so quickly?

     To help me answer this I will be using a range of secondary data and observations made on the North and South beach in terms of protection.

The Geology

    There are two main types of rock at Walton; London clay and Red Crag. The cliffs are made up of sand and gravel deposits laid on top of London clay and it is because of this geological arrangement that the cliffs are so unstable. Water percolates through the permeable sand until it reaches the impermeable London clay. The water acts as a lubricant, causing the upper sections of the cliff to slip seawards. The sea is also eroding the lower sections of the cliff, leading to greater insecurity.From the Tables below I can deduce that Red crag has been present as part of the Piacenzian layer for 1.8 - 3million years old. At the base of the cliff forms the London Clay, this is from the Lower Eocene period, mostly of the Blackheath beds around 45 million years.

                                                                                                                    Slumping

        ( Foot of slumping)

         Red Crag on top of cliff

                          London   Clay rock.         

 Beach is a wave cut platform and is predominantly made up of clay.

Diagram showing slumping cliff on North Beach

Protection comparison: North and South beach

  Armour blocks  are indeed one type of protection on the North side.They are relatively cheap but are environmentally unattractive. If they are resting on sand and shingle they can also be undermined by waves. There are no  sea walls or groynes built on the north side. Minor plantation is seen on the cliff face. There are also apparent cracks in the wall. The cliff faces were indeed battered and bruised and there were signs of slumping. This apparent lack of protection, is a fundamental factor for the cause of the rate of which the North beach is eroding.

                                                                                 Rip Rap

Recurved Sea Walls  are expensive to build and may cost up to £1million per km. They are designed to stop erosion but his also means that there is less sediment to protect other stretches of coast. They reflect wave energy, and as a result of this, the waves scour base of sea walls undermining them so that they eventually collapse.

Groynes  stop longshore drift and keeps the beach in place. Basically the idea of a groyne is to prevent longshore drift. Groynes are very useful and are the cheapest and most effective way of protecting a cliff and the beach behind it.

There are also revetments present on the south beach. Revetments are the structures placed on banks in such a way as to absorb the energy of incoming waves. They’re built to preserve the existing uses of the shoreline. The revetments protect the land behind them

The Rip Rap is contained by a mesh. Gabion like structure under the

wooden frame.

        Built

The two rocks that I have mentioned and explained above are two pivotal factors in terms of geology, for the cause of such an alarming rate of erosion on the North beach. However the north beach lacks vital  protection to keep its erosion under control,and the evidence of this is exploited through its fast rate of erosion and evident slumping.Now that I have shown how and why the North beach is eroding at such a rate, it is important for me to explore the processes that are occurring on the South Beach,i.e longshore drift. This leads me to my next question , What evidence is there that long shore drift is taking place?

What evidence is there that long shore drift is taking place?

1 st  objective: Explore the direction and speed at which longshore drift was occuring

We threw an orange into the sea and marked the position on beach with a ranging pole.We timed the orange floating in sea for a total of  5 minutes. After 5 minutes we marked the position of orange. We then measured distance and direction that the orange moved.

Problems and limitations

The oranges did not always move freely and at times were  trapped on the rocks and beach.The tests were also only taken in a low number of days limitation in the sense that the wind may have changed direction on other days.

We undertook the test several times at each location. We looked for other evidence of longshore drift to support our observations.

Bar Graph from tabled results

2 nd  Objective: Establish whether the deposition of beach material along the groynes supported evidence of longshore drift.

We looked at the depth of deposit of sand on either side of the groynes. The side of groyne with greater depth to beach would indicate direction of longshore drift. We measured the depth to the beach from fixed point on groyne. Our next measurements were the differences in height of beach on either side of the groyne. We took the readings for each groyne at lower, middle and upper parts of the groyne.

Limitations

The groynes sloped towards the sea and we could not measure from a fixed  height on groyne.

To use difference in height to establish likely direction of longshore drift.

Analysis and Conclusion

   The first table indicates that longshore drift is operating in a northerly direction. The chart also clearly shows us that the distance travelled by the orange is far greater at the pillboxes than on the south beach. this gives an indication that longshore drift operates more, and has a greater impact on the North side rather than the South.

  As the results for the second experiment show, the upper part of the groyne has the greatest difference. This is because this area of the beach collects the most amount of material. The beach material piles up because there is no other route for the beach material to escape to. We can also see that the further we go north,the greater the difference becomes.Thus we can assume that longshore drift is getting stronger as we go north. The North side also had a greater deposit and therefore proves again that the direction of longshore drift is northerly.

What effect have the methods of coastal protection had on the scenery of the area?

What are the impacts of coastal defences on the coastal processes?

We compared beach profile. We marked out distances of 5 metres from the shore to cliff line. At each interval place ranging pole.Use a ranging pole and clinometer to measure the angle of beach over a 5 metre interval. Record profile angles on record sheet.

From my experiments, data and            

The north beach is eroding at a tremendous rate.The excessive protection on the south beahc

Document Details

• Word Count 1913
• Page Count 20
• Level AS and A Level
• Subject Geography

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Walton on the Naze

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Erosion at Walton on the Naze

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