Building on its highly successful engagement programme with two local schools, All Saints Juniors and Hessle High, Wykeland recently invited pupils to come to Bridgehead and see one of the construction sites under development. 25 children, aged 9-10 from All Saints made the visit, along with 15 engineering and resistant materials pupils from Hessle High.

Together with on-site contractors, Havercroft Construction, and Elaine Burke, arts consultant who has lead on the engagement programme, the Wykeland team delivered a fun and action-packed morning of talks, construction-related games and a chance for students to meet several different trades-people as they toured the site.

The lively programme of activities and people to speak with, alongside the thrill of being in a real-world situation really inspired the pupils. The visit was “an overwhelming success and the impacts were immense” according to one teacher and “it has opened the students’ eyes to trades they never knew about and has raised their aspirations hugely’.

Elaine Burke added that “the visit has encouraged pupils to think about their own futures and the lives they would like. Students are actively excited and focussed now, having met ‘real people’ doing construction jobs, and gained the confidence that they themselves could also achieve this.

Pupils are also understanding the importance of learning maths, and seeing its relevance to the real world, making them more engaged with maths at school.”

The visits were a resounding success, and Wykeland is looking forward to arranging another site visit for All Saints and Hessle High in July.