Eight students at Bury St Edmunds’ Priory School were recently rewarded with a mini graduation, celebrating their completion of a 6-week construction course.
Developing their sustainable EcoBricks project, the school – part of Eastern Education Group – teamed up with three Suffolk businesses to provide a unique course for Year 10 pupils. Five volunteer members of staff from Morgan Sindall Construction, GBS Builders (Ipswich), and DPL Group ran two interactive classes.
Karl Standring, a key worker at Priory School, orchestrated the course. When asked about the process, he said: “I’ve been supporting the EcoBrick project since the beginning, all the way from its original sustainability concept, right through to the engagement we’ve had with Morgan Sindall. We’ve managed to run two projects at the same time, which we hope to be able to continue and complete as we go.
“When I see the challenges that some of these students experience in a normal day, to see them sustained through weeks of a project and come out the other side still wanting more, that’s where the value is.”
With GBS Builders (Ipswich), students constructed timber planters using sleepers and practised laying pillars and corners. The opportunity to use tools such as electric drills, screws, and fixings provided a unique opportunity for the students to develop their skillsets in an environment tailored to their unique needs.
DPL Group ran two hands-on engineering sessions: an Introduction to Electrical Engineering, where students toured the tools and van and practised rewiring plugs and sockets to build their skills and confidence, and an Introduction to Mechanical Engineering, where students explored the profession with engineers, tried out tools like electronic crimpers, and applied their new skills by crafting copper hearts.
Year 8 students from the school attended to support the graduates.
Student Alfie Denny, 15, from Thurston, said: “My favourite part of the course has been the brick laying, I find it interesting. Phil was my favourite teacher, he made me laugh, and when I didn’t want to do it, I came in anyway and he made me happy.”
Tyler Loukaides, 15, from Kesgrave, who participated in the programme said: “It’s a good experience if you don’t know much, it’s nice to get a feel of it, how you work in a team. I think all of it’s been amazing. I definitely want to go into construction.”
Nicola Briggs, Social Value Coordinator at Morgan Sindall Construction, expressed how rewarding the course was: “It’s been amazing working on this project with the kids. They are so curious and involved and soak everything in. They’re really, really focused. Every week, they’ve taken on the challenge, learnt from it. Sometimes it hasn’t gone to plan, and they have adapted really well. Seeing them build those softer, employability skills has been my favourite part.”
The students’ dedication was echoed by Phil Procter, Senior Project Manager at GBS Builders (Ipswich): “Seeing the smiles on their faces at the end of each session has been so rewarding. It’s such an important opportunity; seeing what they can physically do says to companies like us that it doesn’t matter if you passed Maths or English, because they’ve got the skills.”
April Broadberry, Head of Social Value at DPL Group, said: “We are passionate about investing in the next generation and creating inclusive pathways into construction, and it has been hugely rewarding to help these students recognise their potential and the exciting careers that could be open to them.”
Both staff and students enjoyed the course, resulting in a friendly competition for most popular class. A vote taken at the graduation declared Phil’s class the winner; needless to say, the fight for this title next year is already heating up.
