BACK in 2014, the then-education and childcare minister Mary Elizabeth Truss visited Warrington.

Now the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Liz Truss came to Warrington a number of years ago, as part of an education initiative in primary schools.

At the time, Ms Truss spoke to staff and pupils at Evelyn Street Primary School, in Sankey.

The school was a support leader for the Maths Hub programme - which was about promoting number literacy in schools.

Warrington Guardian: Ms Truss spoke to pupils and staff about the way that maths was being taught at the schoolMs Truss spoke to pupils and staff about the way that maths was being taught at the school (Image: Newsquest)

Louise Smith, CEO of Warrington Primary Academy Trust, was executive headteacher of Evelyn Street Primary and Bruche Primary at the time of the visit.

Louise said: "She spent about an hour and a half with us.

"She was keen to see maths teaching in action in classes throughout the school and she spent a lot of time speaking to me and my team and our children about their learning."

Ms Truss was given a jar of honey by the schoolchildren, who took it from their on-site beehives - she later thanked Mrs Smith for the gift at a Downing Street event.

The former headteacher said she found the future Prime Minister to be 'capable' and a 'smart cookie'.

"She also had a dry sense of humour. She was interested in what went into making our school so high performing in maths and other subjects and she showed a very good knowledge of maths teaching.

"She really connected with our children, probably because she had primary-age children herself at the time," Louise added.

Mrs Smith says that she remembers the visit well because it was the start of education reforms in Warrington: "It was clear then that she was a very capable minister who was heading for bigger roles.

"We face a lot of challenges in the education sector and across the country as a whole and we all hope that she can deliver on the promises she made in Downing Street on Tuesday.”