Ashford Hill pupils build eco-friendly roundhouse

Pupils aged eight to 10 built a Celtic roundhouse in the school grounds, with help from their teacher Ben Dixon, plus parents Mark Larby and Cam Maya, and grandparent Mick Lunn.
Using wood and materials from the local environment to make the natural and sustainable structure, the children practised skills such as weaving, construction, hay stacking and how to daub the walls with mud to keep out the wind.
Mr Larby who is also a governor at the school, said: “It is a great learning experience for the children and the team work involved has been wonderful.”
The roundhouse is a culmination of the half-term’s work on the Celts, and Oak class pupils also cooked Celtic recipes and made their own shoes.
Built in Britain from the Iron Age, in the later part of the 20th century, modern designs of roundhouse eco-buildings have been developed using similar systems, such as straw bale walls and reciprocal frame green roofs.