One of our partner schools, Mayflower Primary, was delighted to host a visit by the Queen yesterday. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh’s visit marked the centenary of the First World War bombing of the school, an act that was condemned around the world. 100 years later, the school is host to one of our 2015 Let Teachers SHINE winners, Heba Al Jayoosi. SHINE’s Chief Executive Clare Gilhooly, joined Heba to welcome the Royal visit.

“It’s wonderful to see the Queen taking an interest in Mayflower Primary School,” SHINE’s Chief Executive, Clare Gilhooly said. “Working with the school after Heba won a Let Teachers SHINE grant has been great, we’ve seen Heba’s project invoke real change in the children involved.”

Heba has been running a sensory integration project at Mayflower Primary since 2015. The project works with children who have underdeveloped sensory systems, stemming from poor housing conditions and limited social experiences. Heba’s project works on the behavioural issues these children have expressed in the classroom, supported by an occupational therapist to improve the children’s engagement in their learning.

Mayflower Primary School has been working with journalist Tina Moran, to commemorate the centenary with writing and research workshops that explore the story of the air-raid. Their work is included in a special centenary supplement, published by East London Advertiser. The staff and students of Mayflower Primary were joined by the descendants of families who lost children.

SHINE were pleased to join Mayflower Primary School for the commemoration, and continue to work with the school through Heba’s project.

If you’d like to know more about the Let Teachers SHINE competition and the projects supported by it, please visit our Teacher-Led Innovation page.