Publication Date: 09-10-2025 09:00
Pupils from local special school visit Cherry Meadow development in Hatton
Pupils from an independent special school in Hatton learned about life on a construction site when they toured a nearby housing development in the village.
Ashberry Homes hosted three visits by children from Wellbrook School at its Cherry Meadow site to give them an insight into the variety of job roles involved in housebuilding.
The pupils, aged between 11 and 16, donned hard hats and hi-vis vests as they were taken on a tour of the development by Site Manager Andrew Hayward and his assistant Gabriella Iandico.
They went inside a House to Home plot, a property specially designed to showcase the various stages of construction, were shown around a completed showhome by sales advisor Karen Davies, and tried out the play equipment in the outdoor play area.
Wellbrook School specialises in supporting young people aged 9-16 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.
Ashley Holmes, Skills Development Coordinator at Wellbrook School, said: “As a local SEN school, we wanted to give our learners an insight into how new homes are built, how much they cost as well as the different trades involved and jobs they could go into. These aims were all met and much more when, as part of their Personal Development lessons, our pupils visited the Cherry Meadow housing development.
“The pupils saw houses at all stages of development, from the footings being dug all the way through to a fully completed house. Many questions were asked along the way and, no matter how wacky, they were all answered clearly and readily by the Ashberry Homes team, including some of our older learners asking if they could have a discount on the largest house!
“Whether it was looking at the diggers, planning where their own furniture would go in a finished house or playing on the swings at the end of the tour, all of the learners had a great day, with many excited to tell other school staff as well as parents / carers about it all at the school gate!
“On behalf of all the school pupils and staff, I’d like to thank all the Ashberry Homes staff involved for making it such an enjoyable day – and for inviting us back to see the finished development next year. We will be back!”
Site Manager Andrew Hayward said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome not one but three groups of pupils from nearby Wellbrook School to Cherry Meadow. During the visits we were able to show the children the inner workings of a construction site and make them aware of the range of career opportunities available in this industry.
“It was great to see how enthusiastic and excited the children were on the tour and we’re looking forward to welcoming them back to see the completed development next year.”
Ashberry Homes, which is part of the Bellway Group, is building a total of 257 new homes at Cherry Meadow. The development is part of a wider new neighbourhood Ashberry Homes is building with Bellway in Hatton. Together the housebuilders are investing over £2 million in local infrastructure projects and initiatives as part of the planning agreement.
For more information about the new homes at Cherry Meadow, visit https://www.ashberryhomes.co.uk/new-homes/east-midlands/cherry-meadow or call the sales team on 01283 893401.
