Adventurous students from The Corsham School have flown to Peru on a four-week humanitarian mission.

The 34 pupils aged 16 to 18 from year 11 and the sixth form, left last Thursday.

They will split into two groups and travel in opposite directions round Peru, working on community and teaching projects exploring the Amazon and the Andes and visiting Inca sites.

Maths teacher Alastair McLeod, who flew with them, said: “It has cost the students £3,500 each. They have raised the money over the past 18 months by fundraising and doing part-time jobs.

“It is a personal development programme but that in itself is quite something. I am very much looking forward to it. There has been a lot of preparation for it to get to this stage.”

Mr McLeod is joined by science teacher Emma Davies. Mrs Davies, a mother of four from Chippenham, said: “It will be fantastic and an amazing experience is to be had. I have never done anything like this before but I am absolutely ready for it.”

Amy Hawkins, 16, from Colerne, said: “I’m looking forward to the new experiences and we can try to help communities over there. It will be quite humbling to see how other people live.”

Ricky South, 16, from Neston, said: “The sights and views that we are going to see will be amazing, such as the Cloud Forest in mid-Peru. It will be good to see the different cultures there.”

The 30-day trek is part of the World Challenge programme, which has run at the school for several years. This year’s adventure will involve a high-altitude trek, water rafting in Tarapoto in the north, and visiting the 700m high Gocta waterfall.

Students will also travel to Incan ruins at Kuelap and help build a perimeter fence in the Amazon community of Lagunas.