Experiencing the best of Iceland
Earlier this month, over 70 adventurers from the geography department at St Ivo School in Cambridgeshire headed to the remote Arctic edge to explore Iceland’s physical landscapes and natural phenomenon.
Staff and students were treated to the very best of Iceland’s extremes, as they experienced volcanoes emerging above the landscape, geysers shooting high up into the sky, the glistening blue hues of an icy glacier and thundering waterfalls soaking anyone in their midst.
St Ivo School is certainly no stranger to this magical country, as this was their 11th consecutive trip to Iceland with Rayburn Tours. With so many unique wonders to discover and sights to behold, it’s easy to see why geographers from the school are drawn back to the country year after year. What’s more, Iceland has been described as ‘the ultimate geographers’ playground’ where so many geographical theories and concepts taught in the classroom can be brought to life with tangible examples.
“This is our 11th year with Rayburn and we continue to be incredibly impressed with the level of professionalism and customer service that we are provided with from the initial booking through to the trip itself.”
Mr Rob Chambers, Head of Geography at St Ivo School
An action-packed itinerary
The explorers benefitted from the long (and often sunny) Icelandic summer days with an action-packed itinerary. During their five days in Iceland, students bathed in the chalky waters of the geothermally heated Blue Lagoon, witnessed some of Iceland’s most dramatic wonders on the Golden Circle tour and experienced the country’s black sand beaches. The adventures didn’t stop there as the group walked behind and to the top of majestic waterfalls, marvelled over huge glaciers, visited mud puddles, hot springs and geysers and ascended an active volcano. Phewf!
“Iceland truly is an ‘awe-inspiring’ destination and our students loved every moment of their trip.”
Mr Rob Chambers, Head of Geography at St Ivo School
The school’s geography trip was about more than just ticking off famous sites; it was about supporting and enhancing students’ understanding of the curriculum, as well as fostering their interest in the subject. To ensure that the trip aligned perfectly with what students were learning back in the classroom, St Ivo’s itinerary was carefully created together with the school’s teachers.
Going the extra mile
After working closely with St Ivo School for over a decade, one thing that is very apparent is the dedication of the geography department in providing students with high quality learning experiences. Named as a Centre of Excellence by the Geographical Association (GA), as well as being awarded the GA’s Secondary Geography Quality Mark and receiving the Princes Teaching Institute Mark, it’s clear that the geography team will go the extra mile to ensure that their pupils receive exceptional learning opportunities.
At Rayburn Tours, we are in a privileged position to work with St Ivo School each year to help arrange their Iceland adventure and hope that this continues for another decade to come. Special thanks go to Head of Geography and self-proclaimed geography enthusiast Rob Chambers, as well as Sophie Raine and Stuart Nunn. As always, it has been an absolute delight to work with you this year and we look forward to continuing the tradition of the St Ivo Iceland trip!
Thank you – from all the team at Rayburn Tours!
Keen to find out more? Read about St Ivo School’s Geography Trip to Iceland by visiting their blog.