History is often something children read about in textbooks: distant, untouchable and confined to the past. But at Mulberry West St Leonards Primary, we believe education must transcend the four walls of a classroom. We believe in placing our children directly into the narrative of our world. This past week, our pupils did not merely study history; they stood shoulder to shoulder with the figures shaping it today.

As the Headteacher of our vibrant school on Harley Shute Road, I have always held a fiercely ambitious vision for our children: no room is too grand for them, and no stage is too large. This belief was brought vividly to life this week when our students were invited to the British Museum for a momentous occasion: the unveiling of the Bayeux Tapestry, temporarily loaned to the UK.

Our first visit on Wednesday is now permanently woven into the fabric of our school’s 148-year legacy. Imagine the profound impact on a young mind, standing mere metres away as His Majesty The King, Her Majesty The Queen, French President Emmanuel Macron, and the Prime Minister unveiled an eleventh century masterpiece deeply connected to our 1066 Country. The room was a living tapestry of modern global leadership, with former Prime Ministers and our local MP, Helena Dollimore, who was instrumental in ensuring Hastings pupils were present, also in attendance for this exhibition of a generation.

Yet, amidst these global leaders, it was our pupils who shone brightest. Standing with quiet dignity and an unmistakable sense of belonging, they realised the message we impart every day: your voice matters, and your place is alongside the decision makers of our time. It reinforced that the character and confidence, instilled through our POW (Pride of West St Leonards) values, enables them to be change makers. The children spoke with remarkable respect and confidence to both royalty and world leaders. Her Majesty The Queen was particularly generous with her time, sharing a lovely connection with our Sussex pupils as she grew up in the county.

Our extraordinary week did not end with the Royal premiere. The following morning, our children returned to the British Museum for an exclusive, private tour. Stripped of the bustling press and grand pageantry, the children were granted the rare privilege of intimately examining the intricate, 950-year-old stitches that depict the very origins of our local heritage.

The pinnacle of this second visit came when three of our pupils were invited to speak live to the nation on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme alongside Nick Robinson, Chairman of the British Museum George Osborne, Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, and distinguished experts. Interviewed about seeing the Battle of Hastings brought to life, they articulated their thoughts with breathtaking confidence, eloquence and profound insight. They didn’t just represent our school; they represented the limitless potential of every child in Hastings and St Leonards. Listening to them speak brilliantly on national radio filled me with immense pride. 

This is the standard of opportunity we strive for. We do not settle for the ordinary; we are fiercely committed to broadening horizons and providing a genuinely transformational education. 

The legacy for our school community will be creating an embroidery in the style of the Bayeux Tapestry, involving every pupil, parent, and the wider community. Culminating in the Summer of 2028 to mark our 150-year anniversary, it will be unveiled at our fifth summer festival, WestFest 5. We will undoubtedly take inspiration from the 1966 Hastings Embroidery currently on display in the Town Hall. Looking ahead, my next great ambition is to take our children across the Channel to Bayeux when the tapestry returns; if there is a benefactor who shares our bold vision and would like to help make this dream a reality, I would be delighted to hear from you.

Our week in London was a declaration of our school’s ambition. We are shaping confident, articulate, deeply inspired young people ready to take on the world. History was on display at the British Museum, but looking at our remarkable pupils, I am certain the future is being shaped right here in St Leonards and Hastings in 2026. As His Majesty The King said on Wednesday: “These seventy metres of memory and artistry remind us, therefore, that our two Nations have been bound together for almost a millennium.”

Royalty and world leaders may have topped the guest list, but it was the schoolchildren from Hastings who stole the spotlight at last Wednesday’s historic unveiling of the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum. As the King and Queen, Prime Minister Andy Burnham, and French President Emmanuel Macron looked on, pupils from Mulberry West St Leonards Primary Academy, the Mulberry Academy Hastings, and Claverham Community College became the true stars as the 1,000-year-old artefact, on loan from France, was unveiled.

Labour MP Helena Dollimore, who led the campaign to secure free priority exhibition tickets for local school groups – along with complimentary train travel from Southeastern Railway for 1,066 students,joined the children at the ceremony.  Her campaign was backed by broadcaster and 1066 Country resident David Dimbleby and historian Dan Snow, who co-signed her letter to British Museum Chairman George Osborne last year calling for the scheme after the exhibition was announced. 

Helena Dollimore told HIP: “Everyone is so excited about the Bayeux Tapestry returning to our shores for the first time in nearly 1,000 years, and it is only right that children from Hastings and 1066 Country are at the heart of this national moment.” She added: “Hastings has often been at the centre of historical events, but we have not always felt the benefits, and we currently rank in the bottom 10 places nationally for social mobility.”

For the pupils of Mulberry West St Leonards Primary Academy, the visit to the British Museum was a history lesson brought vividly to life. Imari marvelled at the intricate craftsmanship of the tapestry, while fellow pupil Lottie was awestruck by its “immaculate preservation”. Thomas said watching the King address the crowd in both French and English helped everyone grasp the event’s significance and made him realise “how lucky we are that the tapestry is still intact”. Polly was full of praise for the museum staff, saying they were “kind and professional and made us all feel very welcome”.

Ms Dollimore said she was “so proud to represent Hastings and to introduce local children to His Majesty the King and Queen, President Macron, and the Prime Minister. It was a very special moment and they did us proud.”