SCIENCE lessons were brought to life for Year Three students from Axbridge First School during a visit to our Batts Combe quarry, near Cheddar.

The annual trip is part of the school’s science curriculum, which covers rocks and geology. The visit to the quarry, which is operated by Heidelberg Materials UK, provides students with the opportunity to learn more about the need for quarrying and how the material is used in everyday life, as well as the biodiversity and restoration efforts that follow extraction.

Once equipped with their hi-vis vests, Unit Manager, Simon Parkes took the group to the viewing platform to see the quarry and machinery in action from above.

Later, Quarry Operative, Gary Latimer drove the dumper truck up from the quarry floor, giving the children an up-close look at the vehicle. The children aged seven and eight, had lots of questions and were amazed by the size of the truck.

Back in the classroom, members of the Landscape and Minerals Department, Ben Ayers and Alexandra Hemming, led a workshop with educational activities about biodiversity and restoration at quarries. The students also designed their own version of a restored quarry, which saw the inclusion of parks and woodland.

Jess Emery, Joint Curriculum Lead at the school, said: “The children got so much from the visit and the workshop afterwards really helped reinforce their learning, making them think about how important quarries are.”