IN a national year of celebration it has also been a special one for Corringham Primary School.

The school on Herd Lane, now part of the ORTU Federation, is 100 years old this year and to mark that milestone the borough mayor, Cllr James Halden and tThurrock Council's education portfolio holder, Cllr Barry Johnson, visited this week.

It wasn't all party games and musical chairs though, the students took the opportunity to ask the Mayor some important questions after the head boy and girl, Greta Howard and Louis Howsden-Gardener, took him on a school tour.

Cllr Halden answered questions.

Important topics on the children's mind included: "Do you always have to wear the Mayor's outfit?", Cllr Halden explained he wears the chains and robes for special occasions and thought on such an important school celebration, it was only right to wear them.

Befitting such a big occasion, classrooms have been decorated by visitors and students enjoyed learning a lot about the Queen and her ongoing 70-year reign.

Cllr Halden said: "Being Mayor sometimes means making hard decisions, but having the opportunity to walk around and meet so many lovely teachers and very polite students makes it all worth it."

Classrooms were decorated by students prior to the visit and lessons for students were focused on learning about the Queen over the 70 decades she has been ruling whilst the school has been open, just in time for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

From left: Head Girl Greta Howard and Head Boy Louis Howsden-Gardner, Alyssa Norman and Joshua Halden.

The Mayor goes walkabout.