STUDENTS from Okehampton College enjoyed a school trip to the Lost Gardens of Heligan to help broaden their environmental awareness.

The Year 7 students spent the day exploring the 200-acre gardens and took part in a range of activities, which included finding a statue in the forest and exploring the melon and poultry yards, as well as the vegetable and flower gardens.

The trip was organised by modern languages teacher Victoria Courtney and the Growing Our Future team.

The team plays a vital role at the college by working with pupils to stress the importance and benefits of following a sustainable lifestyle.

On a fortnightly basis the Year 7 students will develop their skills in gardening and planning in the school's garden, which will include planting crops and maintaining them.

The sessions are cross-curricular, which means the students will get the opportunity to have hands-on experience working in an outdoors environment, while applying the subjects of maths, science and art in an exciting context.