Alaw Primary School pupils enjoy memorable quarry visit

Year 3 pupils from Alaw Primary School in Trealaw recently enjoyed a hands-on learning experience at our Craig-yr-Hesg quarry.

The visit was designed to give the children a better understanding of how a quarry operates and the important role it plays in supplying construction materials used to build roads, schools and other essential infrastructure.

The class of 30 spent the morning learning about mineral extraction, biodiversity and the wildlife that calls the quarry home. They also spent time in the control room, where they could observe real-time operations on the monitors.

The visit included a guided tour of the quarry floor, where pupils watched the huge machinery in action. Two cousins in the class even spotted their grandad operating one of the machines and he gave them a wave from the cab. 

The visit was organised to build on the children’s interest in games like Minecraft, where players dig for resources and build virtual landscapes. The real-life quarry setting provided an educational link to those interests, helping pupils understand how materials are extracted and used in the real world.

Stacey Dentus, school teacher at Alaw Primary, said: “The children were really excited to see the machinery up close and to connect what they’ve seen in video games with real life. They asked lots of thoughtful questions and came back full of enthusiasm.”

Astrid Dahl, Area General Manager, Aggregates South Wales, added: “We were very pleased to welcome students to the quarry to learn about our operations. There is so much value in engaging with the younger generation and it was great to find out that several pupils have family members who work at the quarry, reflecting its important role as a local employer.”