Year 9 Rewards Trip: From Recycling to Restoration

Following the successful Year 9 Alternative Work Experience Day, a group of winning and standout students were treated to a fascinating rewards trip—exploring real-world applications of sustainability, construction, and heritage restoration.

The day began with an exclusive visit to the Morgan Sindall Recycling Centre in Aldridge, a site not yet open to the public. Students were given behind-the-scenes access to areas the public won’t see and learned about the innovative building processes involved. One particularly intriguing moment came when students were asked why the pillars at one end of the building were white and the others grey. The surprising answer? It’s a safety feature designed to control how the building would collapse in the event of a fire.

The group then visited the brand-new Reuse Shop, which directly connected to the Year 9 school project. Seeing the real-world impact of their work brought the project to life in a meaningful way.

Next, the students headed to Walsall town centre to explore the Guildhall restoration project, led by Interclass. This historic building is being transformed into a creative arts space, blending its traditional façade with unique features like an old restaurant and a former police station—complete with original basement cells. The students were especially intrigued by the cells, with whispers of spooky stories adding to the excitement!

Back at school, the day concluded with a creative upcycling activity. Using old books destined for landfill, students crafted charming paper-folded hedgehogs—each with its own name. These will be sold in the Reuse Shop to raise money for charity.

A huge thank you to Andy Clayton at Morgan Sindall, Interclass, and everyone who took the time to make this day such a memorable and educational experience for our students.