Marham school: 'I asked the Queen if she had a big wardrobe'

Over her 70-year reign, the Queen visited thousands of places across the world, but one of the locations she frequently went to was RAF Marham in Norfolk, where she was Honorary Air Commodore.

As well as touring the base, she often visited the local junior school, now Cherry Tree Academy, to meet staff and pupils.

What are the school's memories of her visits?

Albert was told at the end of his German lesson in 2015 that he would be meeting the Queen.

He says: "Mrs Webb [the head teacher] asked me to stay behind whilst everyone else went outside.

"I didn't expect it one bit, to be asked to meet the Queen, it was a complete shock, but at the end of the day it was one of the best things I'll ever do."

The 15-year-old, who is now a pupil at Downham Market Academy, says the Queen "was mostly asking me about the school and what lesson I liked the most".

"I was really nervous, but then when she started talking to me it was just like another person. Despite her importance it felt totally normal," he says.

Albert says he was "quite upset" by the Queen's death, but he has been helped by talking to his friends, and his school "had a day designated to the Queen's passing and what she did for our country".

He also visited nearby Sandringham on Thursday evening and "the amount of flowers just three hours after her passing was just incredible", he says.

"I am proud to have met her because she means a lot to people and I got the amazing opportunity to meet her. It's a well cherished memory."

The Queen last visited the school in February 2020, where Alexandra presented her with flowers.

She says "I wasn't that nervous, I was excited", adding that it "went pretty well".

The eight-year-old says: "I asked her about her wardrobe because she has so many dresses.

"I asked her if she had a big wardrobe and she said, 'Yes', and then we started laughing. I then asked her about her corgis."

Alexandra says "it was pretty easy to get on with her" and "she looked amazing".

When she found out the Queen had died she says she cried, which was "very surprising".

"Not many people have been through the death of a monarch because she was the Queen for 70 years," she says.

She adds that reading a book on the Queen and speaking to her parents has helped her.

Michaela Webb, executive principal at the academy, says about 90% of the children have at least one parent who work at RAF Marham.

She says the Queen visits "quite regularly, we were fortunate to greet her in any way we could".

"We were really lucky and honoured and I don't think that ever goes away," she says.

Mrs Webb says the children at the school "feel very close and very respectful" to the Queen.

The school has held an assembly honouring the late monarch.

She says: "The children have been allowed to express their feelings and lead things.

"They needed to talk about it more. They were writing poems, writing songs, doing other bits and pieces, and so we decided to pull it all together [in an assembly]."

The principal says the children have reacted to the Queen death's "really well", adding: "Our pastoral team are on hand and if the children want to talk, they can talk.

"The freedom for the children to choose how they want to pay their respects has been key in this.

"If we treat our children now and enable them talk now, then hopefully they'll be able to go through life able to express their emotions positively."