Children at Caldicot’s Castle Park Primary received a firsthand introduction to civil engineering yesterday (29th March) when a team from Laing O’Rourke’s Severn River Crossing division helped them construct a replica suspension bridge in the school grounds.
Construction ambassador Rick Shaw, bridge inspector Danny MacNess, and maintenance operatives Kevin Whitehead and Lee McDonald transported a 15 metre long model cable-stayed bridge made of plywood and aluminium sections and supervised its construction on the school’s outdoor learning plaza. The model is currently based in the south Wales region with the Bridge to Schools events organised through training body Construction Skills. Pupils were introduced to the importance of observing health and safety regulations before work commenced and were kitted out in high visibility jackets, hard hats, goggles and gloves.
When work was completed the youngsters took turns to cross the bridge before debriefing followed by a question and answer session.
Rick Shaw said: “This exercise introduces children to the world of civil engineering and allows them to take responsibility for their own actions, develop team building skills and confidence, learn health and safety methods and gives a direct link to school curriculum subjects”.
Rick’s team and the bridge have already visited a number of schools in south Wales and the west as part of an initiative supported by the Institution of Civil Engineers to foster an interest in its line of business. The event also supported the requirement for the school to make purposeful links with industry.
The outdoor learning plaza, part of a twenty first century school development opened in September 2011, was an ideal setting for the bridge construction. Monmouthshire County Council’s Chief Executive, Paul Matthews said: “It’s very pleasing that the school’s staff and facilities are able to lend themselves to projects like these that aid development in mathematics, design & technology, science, language, history, geography and art as well as personal, social and health education. The youngsters learnt a great deal today while clearly enjoying themselves”.
