DUCHESS ALL SMILES
The Duchess of Cambridge smiles as she meets pupils at Lavender Primary School in London in support of Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week. Kate said she was passing her passion for arts to her children and had seen Prince George drawing with charcoal he had found.
CHILDREN WHO turn their back on social media and embrace the arts instead won the admiration of the Duchess of Cambridge yesterday.
Kate remarked on what could be achieved by motivated youngsters during a visit to a London secondary school to mark Children’s Mental Health Week.
She said she was passing her passion for the arts to her children, and had seen Prince George drawing with charcoal found in a fireplace at home.
Accompanied by Andria Zafirakou, who was last year named the world’s best teacher, she toured Alperton Community School in Brent, London, to learn how it is supporting the wellbeing of students and staff.
Ms Zafirakou, an art and textiles teacher, introduced Kate to her A-level student Shaquille, 16, who showed her detailed pencil sketches he has produced as a break from social media.
Kate looked impressed and replied: “This is what you can do if you don’t use social media – a fantastic advert.”
Earlier when the Duchess joined a round table discussion with staff about students’ school readiness and teacher welfare, she was told social media was one of the big challenges the institution faced.
Earlier Kate produced a treasured family photo when she joined a group of primary children who had been asked to take in an object that makes them happy.
She took the image used for her Christmas card last year, showing her with the Duke of Cambridge and their three children, George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
She joined the pupils during a visit to Lavender Primary School in Enfield, north London.
Ms Zafirakou, who won $1m in prize money and the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize, said Kate was “a very hands on mum who understands about being creative – it’s just brilliant and lovely to hear that and as a mother myself I know exactly what that means.”
She said of her school: “We’re not an exam factory. We do look at the children’s well-being and prepare them for their futures and also how to look after themselves.”