Project Outreach Assistant (HLF funded project post)
Closing date 30 August 2005
Location: London, WC1X 0DL
Salary 22 to 24K pro rata (including London weighting) 8 month contract

‘The Penny Black Changed the World’ is a project to use one of our 
principal collections to highlight how Britain led the development of mass 
communication in the 19th century. The R M Phillips collection - over 40 
albums of stamps and postal history material dating from the Victorian 
period - was given to the nation in the 1960s and declared as Public 
Record. The project will digitise this collection and make images available 
online, linked to our catalogue. We will use this new resource to support a 
programme of learning and outreach, principally targeting schoolchildren at 
Key Stage 2, but also with benefits for other audiences.  

This is an exciting opportunity in the newly created BPMA. Founded in 2004, 
we care for the archive and museum collections of Royal Mail, although we 
are independent of Royal Mail. Our registered museum and public record 
archive collections range from sheets of penny blacks and 1930s films, to 
mobile post offices and telegrams from the sinking Titanic. We are looking 
to move to a new site, creating a new visitor attraction.

Requirements

Experience
• PGCE/ or equivalent educational experience (You should have a 
relevant degree with appropriate experience, for example, in museum 
education, community outreach, youth work, heritage or arts development)
• Previous work on producing educational resources and/or working 
with museum visits and work in the classroom
• Awareness/willing to use ‘Inspiring Learning for all’ framework
• Ability to co-ordinate and deliver a lively outreach programme that 
will engage underrepresented sections of the community.
• You should be committed to enabling wider access to museums, and 
enjoy creating and delivering imaginative outreach projects in partnership 
with local organisations, groups and individuals.
• The ability to communicate with people across all audiences is 
essential. 
• Secondments and job shares welcome.

Skills and Abilities to:
• Assist Learning and Outreach Manager in developing sustainable 
programme of outreach and education work based on the Phillips collection 
POST 141
• Plan, design and implement programme
• Evaluate effectiveness of programme
• Research Skills 
• Work with BPMA staff on website content and delivery

Brief

1. KS2 education pack
2. Online resource highlighting important aspects of the Phillips 
Collection
3. Coordinate and carry out events programme
4. Additional resources such as information sheets and glossaries
5. Training volunteers to use resources in schools

Pack to cover and links to National Curriculum and standard Schemes of work 
in areas such as:
• Victorian era- KS2 
• Art and Design ‘Victorian Design’
• Portraits
• Social Reform- ‘Social reform by providing access to the post’
• Influential people -Rowland Hill

A focus group will need to be set up of KS 2 teachers to develop ideas for 
the project and test out some of the material. They will then be consulted 
again a draft version to suggest improvements.

The pack is to include
• Timeline of key events
• Key terms/Glossary – reference section
• Teachers pack with; Historical notes, explanations of activities
• Activity sheets for use in schools 
• Facsimiles of the Phillips collection pages illustrated
• Illustrations and other visual material 


37 hours a week, flexible between 8.30am and 5.30pm. 
Some weekend work may be required.

To apply please send a CV and cover letter to:

Dr Adrian Steel
Catalogue Manager
The British Postal Museum & Archive, 
Freeling House,
Phoenix Place, 
London WC1X 0DL
Tel: 020 7239 2128 
Fax: 020 7239 2576
[log in to unmask]
www.postalheritage.org.uk 

NB Only those applicants asked to interview will be contacted.

For more information contact;

Libby Buckley
Learning and Outreach Manager
The British Postal Museum & Archive
Freeling House, Phoenix Place, LONDON WC1X 0DL

T 020 7239 2561
F 020 7239 2576
E [log in to unmask]

British postal communications helped to shape the modern world. The British 
Postal Museum & Archive illuminates the lives of people in the Post Office, 
the messages carried by Royal Mail, the history we all share. Our history 
through the post

Visit our website www.postalheritage.org.uk

Registered as a Charity in England and Wales
Registered Charity Number 1102360
Company Number 4896056