February 2008
8build Increase Construction Awareness at Our Lady's Covent High School, Hackney
Operations Director, Andy Tooley, volunteered his services this month to assist Our Lady’s Convent High School in Hackney with an ‘Enterprise Workshop’. This involved assisting year 10 students aged 10-15 with a real life construction project which was set up to meet the requirements of the national curriculum. The class of 30 students were split into 5 smaller groups and competed with each other by way of a presentation of their ideas at the end of the day using models and presentation boards.
The student’s project was set out to redesign a local housing estate in South Hackney. They were given a budget of £35 million and had to take into account existing residents issues whilst looking to enhance the area as much as possible. The students were encouraged to learn through practical experience to increase their construction awareness.
The student’s main objectives of the day were:
- Organising themselves as a part of a group
- Develop creative ideas
- Take into account real life social concerns of the residents of a typical 1960’s tower block estate
- Put together realistic proposals that could be implemented
- Present clearly their ideas for review and consideration.