Year 11 International Award trip

Last week, the IA teachers took seventeen intrepid explorers to the mountains near Almaty to complete their Adventurous Journey for their International Award.

The trip started with a fun overnight train to Almaty where the pupils relaxed in preparation for their hike and made last minute checks to their route plans. After arriving in Almaty, we rode in convoy for two and half hours to Assy Plateau.

The pupils prepped themselves for a six hour hike. They had to carry all their equipment with them, including their tents for sleeping and portable stoves for cooking! Once they had returned to camp, the groups had to set up their tents and prepare their evening meal. We were very tired after our walking but there was a huge sense of achievement at the end. 

The next day they had to get up, cook breakfast, pack up their tents and prepare for a second hike. As the weather closed in pupils had to battle against harsh conditions. Teachers were very impressed with the pupils' resilience and courage. Everyone remained positive and worked hard to get back to our base camp.

The pupils worked really hard and their efforts were noted by all of the teachers on the trip. They should be proud of their achievements and I have no doubt that it was an experience they will never forget.