St Edmund’s Catholic school marks Portsmouth’s centenary year with a celebratory festival
The school also hosted a careers event for students to meet inspirational people from the city
St Edmund’s Catholic school in Landport held a special celebration to honour Portsmouth’s centenary year on Wednesday October 21, bringing together pupils, staff, and visitors to recognise the history and culture that makes Portsmouth such a special place.
One of the highlights of the day was the careers event “Inspirational Pompey People” for Year 9 pupils. Students had the opportunity to meet a range of guests, including the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Cllr Abdul Kadir, the digital creator Terence Carvalho, Express FM, Hampshire Constabulary, the Royal Navy and Portsmouth Museums. The visitors shared their experiences, discussed their careers and answered pupils’ questions about their working lives and connections to Portsmouth.
Alongside the careers event, the school hosted a Portsmouth Festival, offering activities for pupils across all year groups such as bracelet making, Hook a Duck, Spin the Wheel, penalty shootouts and opportunities for pupils to create their own rap with our special visitor Ricky Tart. The celebrations also featured performances from the school’s dance group and choir, showcasing the wonderful talents of St Edmund’s students.
Pupils enjoyed a range of special Portsmouth-themed activities during the day and in lessons, including a colouring mural, a lion biscuit scavenger hunt, a Portsmouth-themed quiz and a treasure hunt. Students were particularly excited about a visit from the Portsmouth 100 Trail unicorn, bringing an extra touch of magic to the celebrations.
The school was also delighted to welcome Portsmouth FC’s beloved mascot, Nelson, alongside Pompey in the Community. The school also welcomed Motiv8 Youth Charity, Solent Military Kids and Fratton Events, who supported the celebrations and helped pupils decorate a lantern as part of the day's creative activities.
Every pupil received a special Portsmouth 100 badge designed specifically for St Edmund’s Catholic School, giving students a lasting memento of the occasion.
A spokesperson for St Edmund’s Catholic School said: “Portsmouth 100 Day has been a truly special occasion for our school. We wanted to celebrate our wonderful city in a way that brought our pupils together, inspired them to think about their futures and helped them appreciate the people, places and stories that make Portsmouth unique.
“It has been fantastic to see our students learning from inspirational people in our community, discovering new interests, sharing their talents and enjoying so many activities together. We are incredibly proud of everyone who helped make the day such a success, and we hope it will be remembered by our students and staff for many years to come.”