For six students from Aureus School in Didcot, a school trip to Morocco meant considerably more than sightseeing. Over 14 days, they helped build a road for a local primary school, trekked through the Atlas Mountains and experienced life in communities far removed from home.
The students took part in the World Challenges Trip alongside seven students from Highdown High School, a World Challenge Leader and three members of staff from the GLF Schools multi-academy trust, of which Aureus is part.
The trip began in Goulmima, where the group spent three days working on a community road-building project. For Eva, a Year 10 student at Aureus, the physical demands were matched by a sense of purpose.
“For three days we worked on a community project helping to build a road for a local primary school,” she said. “The work was hard and tiring, especially in the heat, but it felt really good knowing that we were doing something that would help the local community.”
Away from the work, the group explored their surroundings, including an evening spent watching the sunset from a clifftop. Some students also chose an unconventional sleeping arrangement, taking advantage of Goulmima’s warm evenings to sleep on the roof beneath the stars.
“One evening we went to a clifftop to watch the sunset,” Eva said. “After a busy day of work, it was amazing to stop and look at the scenery.”
She added: “One of the funniest things about staying in Goulmima is that many of us decided to sleep on the roof. We could lie under the stars and enjoy the warm evenings. It was definitely different from sleeping at home!”
From Goulmima, the group travelled to Oukaimeden before beginning a demanding trek through the Atlas Mountains towards Oughlad.
The physical challenge tested the students as they crossed the mountainous terrain, with Eva describing the experience as one in which encouragement from the group became increasingly important.
“The trekking definitely tested us,” she said. “There were times when our legs were tired and we just wanted to reach the end of the day, but everyone kept going and encouraged each other.”
The trip was led by Simon Wilkinson, Operations Manager at Aureus, alongside the school’s Science Technician and Teaching Assistant, Nichola Poulton. Wilkinson said the experience gave students an opportunity to develop independence while confronting challenges outside the classroom.
“This sort of trip encourages independence and allows the students to explore themselves in a way that no other trip can,” he said. “Spending time building a road and trekking through the Atlas Mountains is an experience that many will never have.”
For the students, the combination of physical challenge, community work and cultural experience was central to the trip.
“The World Challenge Trip was much more than just travelling to Morocco,” Eva said. “We helped a local community, experienced a completely different culture, and challenged ourselves both physically and mentally.”
She said the memories would include building the road, sleeping beneath the stars, the food, the sunset and the trek through the mountains.
“Morocco was a challenge, but it was also an incredible adventure that I will never forget.”
