Clayesmore School Unveils Student Self-Build

Pupils were given the opportunity to be hands-on and creative as part of a self-build project over summer term.  

Local business Blackdown Shepherd Huts supplied Years 9, 10 and 11 with a self-build hut back in May. The pupils spent a month constructing the shelter, which was unveiled at Speech Day by seniors’ parents.

The shepherd hut will have a number of uses on the school grounds. What’s more, it has been fitted with quad wheels so it can move easily around the 62-acre Clayesmore campus. The hut double-up as bird hide by the school lake, as well as a stage and cinema for special events. It will also function as a fieldwork centre for biology and geography, a reading room for all ages, and a play centre for the nursery, pre-prep and prep school.

‘We’ve loved building our Blackdown Shepherd Hut,’ said the pupils involved in its construction. ‘We came across many challenges, including the window frames and wall cladding. However, we overcame these obstacles, aided by Mr Burton’s judgement, Miss Horwell’s patience and Mr Richards’ brainpower. We don’t think we will ever get those fuzzy hairs off our clothes from the wool insulation on the inside of the hut!’

Jess, a Year 10 pupil, had this to say about the whole hut construction experience: ‘When we stepped back and admired our work we realised quite how much we had achieved, and how significantly our skills had developed. We learned so much about working as a team, and about the materials we were using, and we gained so much experience on what it is like to build something on this scale. We can’t wait to see it out and about on the Clayesmore campus.’

READ MORE: What are the Benefits of Outdoor Work? / How Schools are Giving Back to the Community