Youngsters got a taste of some naval heritage ahead of the opening of their rebranded school which focuses on military values.

The Victory Academy, formerly the Bishop of Rochester Academy, celebrated its new links with the Royal Navy at a ceremony on Wednesday.

The academy was backed by the Church of England but is now sponsored by The Thinking Schools Academy Trust, which has seven schools in Medway and three in Portsmouth where the inspiration for the school’s name – HMS Victory – is in dry dock.

Built in Chatham, the vessel was Lord Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Visitors from Portsmouth Historic Dockyard ran workshops with pupils and showed them artefacts including uniforms, weapons, what the crew would eat off and the whips they would have to make when it came to punishment lashings.

They also were taught military drills and how ships would signal to each other using flags.

Principal Mandy Gage said: “We looked at Medway and our students and wanted to find out what was missing.

“The key things we needed was a sense of aspiration, of respect and of self belief. Also to have pride in their academy.

“The activities today have been amazing and the students have enjoyed them, especially the climbing wall and the gun run.”

The opening ceremony was performed by Admiral The Lord Boyce, chairman of The Victory Board, Admiral of the Fleet and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.

Having lived in Chatham for some time and operated submarines from the naval base he welcomed the chance to return to the Towns. During his speech he likened the iconic ship and its famous captain to the school, and said: “Nelson came from a modest background but had very high aspirations.

“He recognised they would not manifest themselves without extreme endeavour, and he worked very hard.

“His career was not without its setbacks, but he succeeded and died a hero.”

Chatham MP Tracey Crouch said: “We need to forget the past and look to the future now. In the same way that HMS Victory was a flagship for the Royal Navy, so too shall the Victory Academy become a flagship school for Chatham, and for Medway.”

After the flag was officially hoisted to mark the end of the ceremony, Steve Clarke, the executive officer from HMS Victory, said: “I volunteered to come to the school today to help inspire some of the pupils, but it’s worked both ways and they have inspired me as well.”