Portsmouth and Gosport Festival of Friends
A schools’ project to support Service children, including school case studies from the Portsmouth and Gosport Festival of Friends
Twenty-seven schools across Portsmouth and Gosport joined the Festival of Friends project, forming three geographical Hub networks supported by Portsmouth City Council and Hampshire County Council. Each Hub was co-led by experienced school staff recognised for strong Service children provision, working closely with the Project Lead to guide and support the participating schools.
Across the year, six Hub Leaders met regularly with the Project Lead for CPD and project planning. They then cascaded this training through network meetings with all project schools, helping nominated school-based Champions design and deliver improvement projects linked to the SCiP Alliance’s Thriving Lives Toolkit.
Midway through the project, more than 120 Service children from 24 schools attended a Pupil Voice conference at the University of Portsmouth. Through arts-based workshops led by Never Such Innocence and Seekers Create, pupils explored and celebrated their experiences of military family life.
The project concluded with a large celebration event in June 2025, involving 114 Service children from 20 schools, 34 staff, and over 40 guests and VIPs. Hosted by the University of Portsmouth, the event showcased school achievements and offered children unique activities—from creative sessions to meeting the Royal Navy Bomb Disposal Team. Feedback from schools was overwhelmingly positive.
Please find more details and case studies in the report below:
