The headteacher of a Carlisle primary school has claimed an innovative link up with their local museum and art gallery has transformed the way his pupils see the city.
Tullie launched its Adopt A School project during the 2025/26 year and worked with children at Belle Vue Primary School to educate and inspire them about local history, culture and arts.
During the innovative partnership, Year 6 pupils collaborated with museum staff on a year-long series of creative projects including an historic walking trail leading from the school to the museum, which members of the public can now follow.
Belle Vue School headteacher Andrew Cairns said: “The Adopt A School project was something very special and it has been a privilege for our pupils to be a part of it. They had experiences they will never forget, exploring our local area and its rich history alongside local experts.
“The children’s knowledge and interest of the local area went through the roof during this time, and it has made them think differently about their locality.”
One of the highlights of the Adopt A School project was the creation of a fun and accessible walking trail for families to follow. The two-mile route through the west of the city from Belle Vue to Tullie has its own website featuring illustrations by pupils and audio of them talking about notable locations, as well as interviews with experts.
Those who take the trail will learn about subjects including a bear attack in the city, Carlisle’s former canal, Carr’s biscuit factory and the city’s Roman roots.
Andrew said: “The children were supported to become increasingly independent learners. They worked in small teams and took responsibility for their research of important locations on the route.
“It’s fantastic to think that their learning will be enjoyed by people for years to come and working towards something that would leave a legacy beyond their time in our school gave the project extra importance. The children were so proud of themselves with their outcomes, and rightly so.”
The end of the school’s ‘adoption’ year was celebrated with Belle Vue pupils ‘taking over’ Tullie for a day.
This involved pupils gaining an insight into the day-to-day running of Tullie while helping to welcome visitors and educating them about local history.
“I am tremendously proud of the Year 6 children, and staff, for their learning and what they have produced,” said Andrew. “The children loved being part of the project. The opportunities presented meant high levels of engagement from start to finish, and I can’t thank Tullie enough for this fantastic once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Anna Smalley, Head of Collections and Engagement at Tullie, said: “We were blown away by the creativity and enthusiasm of Belle Vue’s pupils and teachers, and it’s been great to see so many children engage with local history and culture.
“Lots of schools take part in workshops and visit us throughout the year, and it’s been so rewarding to work more closely with one of our local schools over a longer period.
“We are pleased to see so many pupils engaged with local history and culture and providing them with special memories which will last a lifetime.”
Tullie has an extensive schools programme that reaches over 12,000 pupils and 100 schools across Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness every year.
You can collect a Belle Vue-Tullie trail from Tullie, or visit https://belle-vue-trail.tullie.workers.dev/
To register your interest in Tullie’s Adopt A School programme, please contact enquiries@tullie.org.uk
