“We had a fantastic, immersive and inspiring field trip to Wytham Woods! We started the day by looking at a huge variety of moth species that had been enticed into the moth trap overnight. We were very fortunate to be joined by Dr Liam Crowley, who shared his expert knowledge of each species and their fascinating adaptations. Our students really enjoyed being able to have an up close look at each moth and some even got to hold the lobster moth! We also got to see the most famous moth of all, the peppered moth! After this we ventured into the meadow to carry out our first sampling technique using sweep nets. Our students were simply amazed by the number and variety of invertebrates they were able to catch and had a lot of fun trying to identify them. Later on, we ventured into another area of the woods and used belt transects and quadrats to identify a variety of plant species and measure a range of abiotic factors. Following this, we conducted a flower-insect timed count to monitor the activity of pollinators.

Overall, we had a brilliant day in the most beautiful setting and an ecological experience that extended far beyond the scope of the A-level specification! Our students left feeling completely inspired and cannot wait to return next week to conduct their own independent ecological research projects. Thank you so much to Kim and Liam for their expert guidance and for making the day possible. We are so lucky to have such a unique and wonderful place on our doorstep and would highly recommend Wytham Woods as a school field trip destination.”

Oxford High School, 2022.