TALENTED Tavistock College students last week spent a successful day delving in to geography during a special enquiry event attended by the town's mayor.

A total of 30 year 8 and 9 gifted and talented geography students carried out fieldwork analysing key walking and cycling routes to the college to see if any areas should be improved due to safety concerns or needed promoting because they were under used.

The students then presented their route work using maps and photographs, suggesting how they could improve their route through engineering or promote it using educational solutions.

Geography teacher Phil Ruse said: 'The students certainly enjoyed the day and from our point of view it was a great success, particularly seeing them working with others from different year groups.

'In the morning the students did fieldwork around Tavistock which involved them walking a route to college and critiquing its safety for cyclists and pedestrians. They then took part in a 'Geographic Information Systems' (GIS) session looking at data showing where Tavistock College students come from and their mode of transport.'

The day was rounded off by the task of producing a marketing campaign with adverts and slogans to promote sustainable transport and safer routes to school in Tavistock.

Mayor Mandy Govier came to hear their presentations and helped judge the groups, deeming Ellie Oaten, Jasmine Willingale, Ellen Stephenson, Tim Davidson and Frances Spry to have produced the most well considered and organised work of the day.

Rosie Agnew, Devon County Council's sustainable schools travel advisor, helped to plan the enquiry which may now become an annual event. She now hopes a dedicated 'Travel Action Group' of students of all ages will take the ideas generated and create a school wide campaign to promote sustainable travel. 

Ms Agnew said: 'I would like to complement the students for their positive attitude, the outstanding quality of work produced and their ability to work so well within a team of people they may not have met before.'