Publication Date: 11-03-2025 09:00
School pupils gain insight into the construction process on visit to Bedworth housing development
Young people considering a career in the construction industry were given a rare behind-the-scenes insight into how a new home is built on a trip to Bellway’s Astley Fields development in Bedworth.
A group of Year 10 pupils from Nicholas Chamberlaine School in the town were taken on a guided tour of Bellway’s House to Home plot during a visit to the development, off Astley Lane, on Thursday 27 February.
The purpose-built plot has been opened at the site to demonstrate the inner workings of a new-build house and to showcase the various stages of the construction process to new homeowners.
The 4 pupils, accompanied by the school’s Careers Lead Alex Parsons-Moore, were welcomed to the site by Bellway Sales Manager Lisa Morris and Sales Advisor Shirley Nicol before being shown around the House to Home plot by Assistant Site Manager Aidden Hunte and Site Manager Darren Bendall.
Lisa Morris, Sales Manager at Bellway West Midlands, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Alex and the pupils from Nicholas Chamberlaine School to Astley Fields. They all seemed to enjoy the visit as they were fully engaged and asked a lot of questions.
“While the House to Home plot is primarily used to show customers how their new home works, it is also a fantastic educational tool which offers a real insight into the housebuilding process. We are always keen to encourage the next generation of construction talent and hope that this visit will have inspired some of the young people to pursue a career in the industry.”
The House to Home plot has been designed to illustrate the three main phases of the build process that turn a house into a home. These include the ‘first-fix’ or pre-plaster stage where features such as piping, wiring and blockwork are still visible; the ‘second-fix’ or post-plaster stage which includes sinks, baths and other fixtures such as floors, internal doors, sockets and switches; and the ‘third-fix’ or final stage which involves the installation of wall and floor tiling, decorating and carpeting.
Different plastering stages can be viewed upstairs, allowing staff to explain features such as no-drill zones, and viewing points also provide a display of insulation behind the walls.
Alex Parsons-Moore, Careers Lead at Nicholas Chamberlaine School, said: “Many thanks for the site visit and the warm hospitality our students received. The four attending students thoroughly enjoyed touring the House to Home plot and learning about potential careers. As both a teacher and Careers Leader, I appreciated hearing about the range of opportunities and pathways available. The visit was fantastic, the Bellway staff were brilliant, and overall, it was a wonderful experience for both our students and myself."
Bellway West Midlands is building 169 new homes at Astley Fields. For more information about the new homes at the development , visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/west-midlands/astley-fields or call the sales team on 024 7728 2066.
