On Sunday 30 June 2024, 74 pupils from (new) Year 11 and the Class of 2024, plus 8 members of staff, set off from Cirencester Deer Park School on a two-week volunteering trip to Ghana organised with African Adventures. Early Sunday morning and the first team headed to Gatwick, with the second team leaving for Heathrow a couple of hours later. Due to some minor delays, both flights boarded, taxied and landed at the same time. This worked in our favour and it was a welcome sight to reunite at Kotoka Airport, Accra. 

Once we had arrived at our base in coastal Woe the following day, we were greeted by the locals, who straight away took an interest in us. The days in our four local schools saw our pupils step up as community builders or teachers. Most schools followed a similar schedule. On the first day, we were welcomed by the schools' headteacher and shown around by their students. We had a local performance - with drums, dancing and singing - and before we knew it, their staff and students had us up and joining in. This was truly an experience we wouldn’t forget. Whilst in each of the schools, our community builders mixed sand and cement ready to make bricks, which would then be used to build classrooms, libraries, etc. And our student teachers were busy teaching the English basics, plus Science, Geography, Arts and crafts or playing catch/parachute with the Ghanaian students, who were generally primary school age.  

For the middle weekend, we had a trip away, heading to Cape Coast Castle and Kakum National Park for some history as well as a chance to see more of the country.

Our evening activities over our time in Ghana varied, from trips to the beach, visiting the local market, sports day, a football match against the local women’s team (the best in the Volta region), a Ewe language lesson and drumming lessons. It is safe to say we were never bored, and the African Adventure guides were great at keeping us entertained and immersed in the Ghanaian culture.

On Saturday 13 July, our pupils and staff returned to the UK enlightened and motivated by the trip. 

From a teacher’s perspective, we were extremely proud of our pupils for stepping up to the challenge of teaching the local students and helping contribute to the infrastructure of the schools. It also made us feel extremely grateful for the resources we have, things that we sometimes take for granted. The Ghanaian students were some of the happiest we have met, and this was passed onto our own, with pupils saying they have never smiled or laughed so much on a trip. It was a truly wonderful experience.

Look out for a full Ghana 2024 report coming soon!

Miss Flint, Miss Blacker and Mrs Chaplin