A CHART-topping singer dropped into a Bournemouth school ahead of a gig in the town yesterday.

Kate Nash, whose debut album Made of Bricks hit the number one spot in 2007, visited Avonbourne School to show pupils a video, speak to them about her career, take questions and perform a song called I Hate Seagulls.

The 23-year-old used the event to launch a campaign called Kate Nash’s Rock and Roll After-School Club for Girls to get schoolgirls into songwriting.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Kate, who performs at the Old Fire Station tonight, said: “I found out some statistics that really shocked me about the gender gap in the music industry last year and I wanted to do something about it.”

She told the girls that there was a huge imbalance in songwriting royalties earned by women compared with men.

Kate, who shot to fame in 2007 and soon became a regular on the festival circuit, wowing crowds at Glastonbury, the Isle of Wight and around the world, said she was inspired by a female singer in America who set up summer camps for girls.

“I launched it today and did an introduction talk about why I care about it and why girls should be encouraged into music,” she added.

The London-born singer scored a number eight in the UK with her second album, My Best Friend Is You, in 2010.

She has also enjoyed huge singles chart success with hits including Foundations – which made number two in the charts– Mouthwash, Pumpkin Soup and Do-Wah-Doo.

Tonight she plays at the Old Fire Station as part of a tour of small, intimate shows.