West Suffolk College students find it all adds up for construction at Exning development site

College students got to see first hand how maths is used in construction during a visit to a housing development in Exning.

A group of 14 students from West Suffolk College, who are studying a range of construction-based subjects, visited the Charles Church site at Chancery Park, in Exning to build on the knowledge they had already learnt.

Working with contractors, the team at Persimmon showed the students around the site to show the different stages of construction and how workers draw on the maths skills they learnt at school such as equations, Pythagoras theorem and accurate measurements were vital for ensuring the homes were built to plan, and to a high standard.

Staff from Tamdown Engineering and Stakeout Engineering showed the students how they map out a field at the initial stage of development, using a combination of maths and technology to ensure the initial measurements are accurate.

And craftsmen from Andy Lewis Carpentry showed the students the different types of roofs workers produce and how important it was to understand angles to ensure the perfect pitch.

Speaking after the visit Ian Hamilton, managing director of Persimmon Homes Suffolk said: “We urgently need more young people to enter the construction industry and the build the homes of the future. At Persimmon, we’re passionate about developing future talent and equipping the next generation of construction workers with the practical skills they need to succeed.”

Averil Young, teaching advanced practitioner at West Suffolk College added: "Our visit was an outstanding success. It was a pleasure to see my students so engaged and curious, connecting their classroom maths to real-world construction tasks. The team was wonderful, supportive, knowledgeable, and eager to share their expertise which truly enriched our students' experience.

“This hands-on visit reinforced the importance of maths within the construction industry and has helped them to see the relevance of their lessons.”