A group of 60 Year 10 GCSE students went on a day trip to Stratford as part of their human fieldwork on the 11th January 2023. The aim of this trip was for students to carry out an enquiry on if the regeneration of Stratford was successful.

Hypothesis being tested:

‘The regeneration of Stratford before and after the 2012 Olympic Games has brought social, economic and environmental benefits.’

Where is Stratford located?

Stratford is located in East London, near to the River Thames. It is part of the London borough of Newham. The population of this area of London is roughly 350,000 and growing.

History

This area of London used to be one of the busiest industrial hubs in the world. Due to its close proximity to the River Thames, Stratford was once a centre for industrial production, being home to a number of large manufacturing industries during the 1700-1800s.

However, during the late 1900s, many factories were closed down due to competition from abroad. In addition to this, the railway works closed down in the 1990s and, like much of the East End, Stratford suffered from high unemployment rates. The majority of the East End was disconnected from transport and employment and this is what started the area to decline.

Since the regeneration, Stratford has become a popular destination for young home owners. This is due to modern facilities, the attraction of Westfield shopping centre and a growing art and music scene.

Stratford was chosen as the location of the 2012 Olympics. The total cost for staging the Olympics, including a wider regeneration budget for the regeneration of Lower Lea Valley, was over £9 billion. The aim of this field trip was to find out whether this regeneration has been a success or not.

There were 3 key aims:

• Create new jobs and increase wealth in the area.
• Improve the environmental quality of East London as a place to live and work;
• Improve the quality of life of people living in this area, including improving educational qualifications and healthcare.

The former Olympic stadium is now the home of West Ham United football team.

East Village - The former Olympic village used to house the athletes during the 2012 Olympics has now been turned into residential housing.

I would like to thank Mr Lawrence, Miss Al-Mousili and Mr Elliott for taking the students out for the day. I would also like to thank the 10 Geography students on their excellent work ethic throughout the day.

Ms Adade (Head of Geography)