A scheme to excite secondary pupils about geography by sending ambassadors for the subject into schools has hit its main target nine months early.

The Geography Ambassadors scheme, run by the Royal Geographical Society, had not expected to reach its goal of arranging 500 visits until August 2008.

The scheme was set up in September 2006 in conjunction with 18 universities, with funding provided by the Department for Children, Schools and Families as part of a pound;2 million action plan.

The ambassadors are volunteers, normally university geography students or graduates. They initially give a presentation on an agreed theme such as “Why study geography?”, then sometimes remain involved in fieldwork or school geography clubs.

The peak time for visits has been at the end of the spring term, when Year 9 pupils prepare to make their option choices.

www.rgs.org.