Galliford Try’s Building Southern team has hosted students from Woodside Academy to the development site Cornerstone SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) school, to highlight how construction industry works.

Led by representatives of the project team, who are building the new school for Cornerstone, and Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Heather Bryant, the event began with a health and safety talk around the five essential Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) items that are worn across all Galliford Try construction sites.


As part of the students’ learning experience, and to provide them with an insight into traditional construction careers, they undertook a site tour and were especially intrigued by the variety of materials and signage on display. The students with special educational needs from the existing school were excited to see their old classrooms and asked questions about the different operational machinery on a live site.

The new £11m two-storey school, set to open in Spring 2023, will replace the existing vacant site previously occupied by Woodside School. On behalf of Trinitas Academy Trust, Cornerstone SEND school will provide places for 90 pupils who will be able to develop their cognitive and emotional needs in an accessible environment.

Heather Bryant, CSR Manager, said: "We actively encourage pupils to visit our projects to experience the activity taking place on site and see the variety of roles that are available in construction. We look forward to inviting the students back to see the ongoing transformation of their school into a fantastic new facility fit for the future."