Beamish Museum in running for prestigious award for work with disadvantaged children
Beamish Museum’s learning team has been shortlisted for the prestigious Learning Programme of the Year at the 24th annual Museums and Heritage Awards.
The team has been shortlisted for their innovative work placement project for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) children and alternative provision school students.
The Learning Team has been offering work placements to young people with SEND, those who attend alternative provision schools or are from disadvantaged backgrounds.
12 schools with SEND requirements, alternative provision (AP) schools and schools with high rates of free school meals were identified and invited to be part of a pilot scheme to offer meaningful work placements to those who may otherwise miss out on such opportunities.
A spokesperson for the museum said: “144 young people who would not usually be presented with career enhancing opportunities attended a one- day placement at Beamish where they discovered the jobs people do at the museum and the skills required for different roles.
“School staff then showed how the skills that they need to do their jobs could be transferred to a range of workplaces.
“Work placements present unique challenges for SEND learners and those who attend AP schools, with communication barriers, lack of tailored support, and difficulty finding suitable roles leading to lower employment outcomes for these students despite their capabilities.
“On the day of the Beamish work placement, learners met with members of museum staff in various roles, learning about each job and the skills needed for each role.
“There was also opportunity to enjoy hands-on experiences including making bread in the bakery, helping look after the museum’s animals and interacting with the museum’s visitors in the 1950s toy shop.”
The pilot was seen as a massive success with the team now nominated for the national award.
Feedback showed a satisfaction rating of 98% from the schools involved and a number of other learning providers have reached out to the museum to be included in future opportunities.
This year (2026) will see an increase in the number of schools invited to be part of the project, from 144 in 2025 to 240 in 2026, almost doubling the number of learners who “would not otherwise get such a positive experience of the working world”.
The Museums and Heritage Awards celebrate the very best in the world of museums, galleries, and cultural and heritage visitor attractions.
This year’s shortlist, which includes entrants from all over the United Kingdom as well as museums and other cultural organisations in 10 other countries, have been chosen by an independent panel of nine judges.
The ceremony to reveal the winners will take place on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at Hilton Park Lane, London.