I suspect it is rare for a Member of Parliament to be described as a "treat" but that's what I was billed as for the Year 4 students at St Mary's Primary School in Shenfield last Friday. Admittedly, I was in third place behind "Friday Boogie" and "Extra PE" but nevertheless the children seemed delighted to have a visitor.
I went to St Mary's at the invitation of one of the Year 4 teachers who'd heard about my interest in Anglo Saxon history and asked if I wanted to slip back into teacher mode and talk to the children about their recent trip to Sutton Hoo. We talked about how the Anglo Saxons influenced the language we speak today, where the Angles and Saxons came fromĀ and discussed the artefacts the children had seen at Sutton Hoo. The children's knowledge of the subject was extensive and I was impressed by their enthusiasm...especially when I got to see the replica helmets they had made for the project. A lovely school, a splendid bunch of children and some very dedicated teachers - thank you for inviting me to visit you!