Some of our Year 9 female pupils were invited to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard on Monday, 9 June for a full day of activities aimed at inspiring young women to look at different career roles within the industry. This programme involved the pupils looking at the heritage of Portsmouth ship figureheads in the National Museum of the Royal Navy. They explored restoration work that takes place on HMS Victory. This was a unique experience where pupils learned from experts new techniques including clogging, sign writing, rope craft and other practical skills. Pupils then had the exciting opportunity to work with the Heritage Programme staff during specific sessions in June and July where they produced their own figureheads. These figureheads will then be displayed in the National Museum of the Royal Navy. The unveiling takes place on 25 July at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

This fantastic programme not only equips students with valuable skills but also highlights the diverse career paths available to females in the heritage industry. We are delighted to have enjoyed this opportunity which has inspired the pupils who took part and we thank the 'Heritage' team for sharing their expertise!