Pupils at Elrick Primary School in Westhill have been taught about the potential dangers of playing in and around construction sites.
Sarah Liversidge, environmental, health and safety manager for Cala Homes (North), visited the children to deliver the housebuilder’s ‘Stay Safe, Stay Away’ talk. Cala is currently building new homes in the Aberdeenshire town.
Eight classes enjoyed interactive sessions which also covered the history of building houses as well as the variety of career opportunities within the industry, but there was also a stark warning about the dangers of going into construction areas unsupervised.
Sarah discussed how Cala keeps visitors and staff at its nearby Burnland Meadows development safe. The children were able to try on a range of protective clothing and watched a video specially created by Cala to help highlight some of the hidden dangers that can be found on building sites.
The Stay Safe, Stay Away initiative also includes a range of curriculum-based activities including designing a site safety poster and writing a news article.
Sarah said: “The Stay Safe, Stay Away programme is designed to spread the serious message to children that construction sites are not somewhere to play around, however, we use an animated film, presentation, and fun activities to make it engaging so it doesn’t feel like a lecture.
“Although we ensure all Cala sites are secure, it’s important young people know the dangers of entering a construction area, so they don’t put themselves or their friends in harm’s way.
“Another aim of this initiative is to bring to life how new homes are developed and the important role that housebuilders play in creating sustainable new communities. It also highlights the great variety of jobs involved in building homes, from land buying and construction to sustainability, which the children thoroughly enjoyed.”
The programme is a core part of Cala Homes’ Community Pledge, the housebuilder’s commitment to bring meaningful investment to its local communities.
Cala also covered the cost for the school to purchase brand-new sensory equipment for the playground for its pupils to use.
Jenny Anderson, depute head teacher at Elrick Primary School, said: “This was a great opportunity for our pupils to find out more about their local area, career opportunities, and keeping themselves safe – they were incredibly enthusiastic and engaged with Sarah and took away a lot from the session.
“Many of the children have seen Cala’s homes in Westhill start to come to life so Sarah’s talk helped them to understand how the new homes in their town are being created.
“Our ongoing relationship with Cala Homes is proving of great benefit to our school community and for that we’re incredibly grateful. The new sensory equipment has been a wonderful addition to the school playground and we’re seeing such a positive impact on pupils. Many children experience times when they feel overwhelmed and dysregulated, and we’ve now been able to provide a safe space with suitable sensory resources that can help refocus their brain and support de-escalation.”
For more information on Cala Homes, visit https://www.cala.co.uk/