A VISIT from the Bishop of Southampton to a Christchurch primary school turned into a day of lessons for the special guest.

The Rt Reverend Bishop Jonathan Frost joined pupils at the Priory School recently to see the school in action following a recent inspection.

Head boy, Daniel Dwyer, and head girl, Megan McCall, met the Bishop and escorted him around the school with headteacher, Claire King.

He led worship for the whole school and spent time in every classroom with the youngsters, including using the Bee Bot educational robot with reception students and a mental maths session in Year One, where he tested children on their skills in addition and subtraction.

In Years Four, Five and Six he spent time with children asking them about their experience at school and he worked with the school council on creating a Priory School prayer. The children, who work regularly in the school’s soup kitchen, served him butternut squash soup at lunchtime.

He was presented with two gifts – a burgundy cushion with the school logo carefully stitched on by students and a golden box of carrots – fruits of the school’s vegetable garden.

Headteacher Claire King said: “He was vibrant, energetic, very human and the children loved his visit.

“They asked him what football team he supported, what he did before he became a Bishop, how long he would be a Bishop and how he found out he was going to be a Bishop. There was a lot of interaction and I suspect Bishop Jonathan went home exhausted!”

Chairman of governers Judy Jamieson said: “I am extremely proud of the school.

“The Bishop was enthralled by the children and how engaged they were and was thrilled to learn about their recent pop-up shop and the work they were doing for the soup kitchen.

“The children were keen to tell the bishop everything they were doing in the school.”