Run by exploration geologist Matthew Barnsley and his outdoor pursuits company Polaris, the expedition challenged 14 and 15 year olds to build quinzhees, or snow shelters, good enough to sleep in, navigate the snowy terrain on snowshoes and skis, pull heavy supplies sledges and efficiently prepare meals in icy conditions as well as learning how to husky dog sled, perform an emergency rescue and treat someone with hypothermia. 

Before setting off on the trip, the pupils were asked about their strengths and weaknesses and goals were set during the week to carry out tasks that would help them overcome self-doubt. 

Said Mr Barnsley: “The arctic survival training expedition is like no other – it’s not a trip, it’s an experience that has more depth than you might think. Our guides teach the pupils how to have the confidence of all the great explorers in history; learning how to set up and operate a full arctic base camp, stay comfortable at extreme temperatures and manage themselves and others so that they can be happy in places that most other people would never dare to venture. The students are not just tested physically, though. They don’t just learn to manage themselves and their equipment, they learn a way of thinking that will change them forever. It’s a bold statement but it’s true. They face their fears, assess themselves from the inside out and the outside in and this helps students to grow in ways they never even thought of.”