A TALENTED teacher from York fro hand-picked to meet the Prime Minister at a special reception to reward hard work.

Rachel Williamson, who is a Year 3 teacher at Robert Wilkinson Primary Academy in Strensall, was among 100 teachers from across the country who went to 10 Downing Street for a reception to celebrate their hard work, talent and commitment to giving every child an excellent education.

Mrs Williamson met the Prime Minister, Theresa May, and Education Secretary Damian Hinds – as well as Larry the Downing Street cat – behind the famous black door.

Mrs Williamson, has been a teacher at Robert Wilkinson in Strensall for 18 years and is also the director of the School Direct primary teacher training programme for Ebor Teaching Schools Alliance.

She said: “It was so surreal and Number 10 is like a tardis.

“Inside is huge – there are so many rooms and it’s like a stately home.

"The Prime Minister is not as tall as you might think, and is very slight.”

She said Mrs May and Mr Hinds paid tribute to the hard work and dedication of the teaching profession.

In a statement, Mrs May said: “We know that the success of every young person, in whatever they go on to do in life, is shaped by the education they receive at school.

“That’s why I was delighted to welcome teachers to Downing Street to celebrate their achievements and to thank them for the vital work they do day-in and day-out.”

Mrs Williamson used the occasion to ask her class, as part of a literacy project in persuasive writing, to write a letter to the Prime Minister to attend Robert Wilkinson Primary Academy’s 300th anniversary celebrations in July.

The event held last Monday capped off a weekend of celebrations for Rachel, who was celebrating a significant birthday.

Robert Wilkinson Primary Academy is the founding school of Ebor Academy Trust, which now operates 18 schools across York, Selby, the East Riding and the Humber and on the Yorkshire Coast.

In York, with the Hob Moor schools, Ebor consists of Robert Wilkinson Primary Academy, Haxby Road Primary Academy, Park Grove Primary Academy and Lakeside Primary Academy. Osbaldwick is due to follow in July.