Fishbourne Roman Palace has secured a top educational award, in recognition of its excellent teaching of both young and older visitors about the Roman’s impact on Britain.

Awarding the Sandford Award for Heritage Education, a panel of 14 judges made up of head teachers and other educational specialists, described the Palace’s education team as “friendly, well-informed and enthusiastic”.

The Panel, many of whom are Ofsted trained, said, “Those fortunate enough to undertake the Fishbourne experience will forever appreciate the building skills and technical abilities of the Romans in Britain.”

The award is given only to organisations which have reached a high standard in the way that they teach a wide spectrum of visitors, from primary school youngsters to older people. As part of the Fishbourne experience, visitors have the opportunity of finding out what life was like in Roman times and the sort of people who would have called the Palace home. There is also the chance to handle real artefacts and for schoolchildren to get their hands on a replica Roman kitchen and sample Roman-style food and drink.

Older schoolchildren are encouraged to examine the artefacts and to interpret how items such as cows’ horns would have been used in Roman times.