Kennel Lane pupils discover the world of home development, thanks to Cala Homes’ community outreach project.
Pupils from Kennel Lane School in Bracknell had the world of the home building industry brought to life for them this week, thanks to a new initiative from Cala Homes Thames.
Nine Cala team members visited the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) school to speak to four Key Stage 3 classes about how new homes are developed and the important role housebuilders play in creating sustainable new communities, following the school’s World of Work Day.
“Our pupils had a brilliant morning with Cala, which included designing their own housing developments, foam bricklaying and even using remote control diggers to move sand from one area to the other,” said the school’s Key Stage 3 lead Alison Barringer.
“It is so important for companies such as Cala to come into our school to talk about the work they do, and the job roles that need to be filled in that industry sector. It is estimated that just 6% of people with SEND are currently in employment and this is partly due to the lack of awareness of all the multiple job roles there are in different working environments.
“The level of engagement from all of our young people with each activity reflected how much they enjoyed the morning and everyone would like to say a big “Thank You” to Cala for giving up their time to make a real difference to our school.”
As well as discussing land planning, home sales and marketing, and sustainability, pupils could also enjoy sensory stations that included a ‘Construction Zone’, bricklaying, a ‘Design Zone’ and an area to build Lego. They could design their own housing developments, adding features that were important to them and their peers.
The Land to Life Programme is a new curriculum-based schools programme aimed at children between the ages of 11 and 14. The initiative is part of Cala’s Community Pledge, which it is delivering as part of its Buckler’s Park development located near to the school.
Through this pledge, Cala has committed to delivering a positive social impact in the areas where it builds homes through a range of community engagement initiatives, including school workshops, volunteering, donations, sponsorships and bursaries.
Eleanor Prior, Technical Coordinator of Cala Homes Thames organised the visit.
“It was wonderful to be able to visit Kennel Lane School and speak to the four classes about Cala and the homebuilding sector as a whole,” she said. “The pupils who were involved were thoroughly engaged with the full lesson, asking inquisitive questions about my role and the different types of career paths available.
“The visit shows that there is a real opportunity to harness the curiosity of young people and highlight how this sector can open doors for everyone.”
The Land to Life programme supports a drive to cultivate early talent and help transform perceptions of roles within the housebuilding sector. It has been designed by Cala Homes in partnership with a specialist education consultant.
