
12 May 2025
Capstone Partners with Morris Leslie Plant Hire and Breedon to Bring Construction to Life for P2–P7 Pupils at Lochardil Primary School
Part of Lochardil Primary School’s careers week and organised by Capstone Construction, the event aimed to introduce pupils to the exciting and varied world of construction. Over 200 children from P2 to P7 took part in a range of engaging, hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity and inspire future careers.
Pupils in Primary 2–4 took part in an interactive session led by Capstone Construction’s Procurement Manager Craig MacLellan, where they were introduced to architectural plans and taught how to use a scaled ruler. By measuring out the foundations of a full-scale house in the playground, pupils brought the drawings to life and used their measuring and multiplication skills. They also had the opportunity to operate a small micro digger, thanks to the support of Alasdair Bowen, General Manager at Morris Leslie Plant Hire — an experience that proved to be a particular highlight for many of the younger children.
For the older pupils in P6–7, the focus shifted to transport and logistics with Breedon, a leading producer and supplier of raw earth products and materials. John MacRitchie (Area Transport Manager), Stuart Maclean (Transport Supervisor), and Lynne Ross (Sales Manager – Building Products) delivered a practical session on vehicle safety. A Breedon truck was brought into the playground, and a large mat was laid out to highlight potential blind spots. While a classmate cycled alongside the vehicle, pupils got to sit in the driver’s seat, using mirrors, four-way cameras, and side scanners to observe how technology improves driver awareness and road safety.
To round off the day, representatives from Capstone Construction, Breedon, and Lochardil Primary School shared their thoughts:
Craig MacLellan, Procurement Manager, Capstone Construction:
“It was fantastic to organise this event to highlight the many different aspects of the construction industry. Seeing the pupils enjoy themselves whilst learning was hugely rewarding — and it was even more special since Lochardil is my son’s school. We’ve had excellent feedback from the school, Breedon, and Morris Leslie Plant Hire, and I can definitely see us running similar events at other schools in the future.”
Lynne Ross, Sales Manager, Breedon:
“When Craig approached us to ask if we would be interested in taking part in this event, we did not hesitate to say yes! What a fantastic day with some very engaged pupils – asking lots of questions and being very interested, asking how much the truck cost to buy, how much it costs to fill with fuel, how much the seats cost – one pupil even asked if he could take the truck for a test drive. When told no, he asked if we were sure he couldn’t! The pupils were in amazement of the size of the truck when they came close up and found it really interesting when shown the driver’s blind spots. When told the weight of the truck, both empty and fully loaded, they appreciated how dangerous being so close would be.”
Sarah Ross, P1A Class Teacher / Principal Teacher, Lochardil Primary School:
“It was great to establish a link with local construction companies who were able to come in and talk to some of our classes about careers in the construction industry. Sharing information about the skills and training needed to carry out various roles in construction and demonstrate how the skills we learn in school are used in the world of work.
“Capstone Construction provided a super hands-on activity to give our younger pupils the experience of working on a building site. Fun measuring activities gave the pupils an insight into the process of building a house and all the skills and tools required to do the job. The absolute highlight for our learners was getting the chance to sit on one of the small diggers! This activity provided so many links to the curriculum and really demonstrated how important meta-skills are in the world of work.
“Breedon provided a Road Safety activity for our older learners. Pupils learned how to pass a construction vehicle safely on foot or by bike. They got the chance to see how construction vehicles use mirrors and cameras to see other road users, and more importantly, learned where the blind spots are on a lorry. The activity was supported by our Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSOs). Breedon staff were so enthusiastic about sharing their Road Safety message with our learners and being able to see the road from the drivers view really helped our pupils to become more aware of the dangers when passing large vehicles.
“We would like to say a huge thank you to both Capstone Construction and Breedon for providing this fantastic opportunity for our learners. Helping us bring the world of work into our classrooms and inspire then next generation, whatever their chosen career path may be!”