Prime Minister Tony Blair delighted pupils and staff at a Halesowen school when he paid it a flying visit thismorning.

Mr Blair chatted to pupils on a tour of Windsor High and hailed proposals to transform it into one of the country's first Trust schools.

He made 13-year-old Charlie Price's day by playing tennis against him on the school's Astroturf and spoke to PE teacher Jenny Pritchard.

Mr Blair, who flew in on a Royal Navy helicopter, was greeted by head girl and boy Katy Piller, aged 16, and Jon Bissell, also 16.

Jon said: "It was absolutely mad - I was very nervous."

Katy said: "I didn't think it was real - he seemed impressed with the school."

On his tour Mr Blair was impressed with new digital blackboards - called whiteboards and saw video technology which is used for observing new teachers.

He spoke to pupils about their ambitions and met headteacher Keith Sorrell and Dudley Council education chief John Freeman aswell as Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP Sylvia Heal.

Keith Sorrell said: "I thought he was fantastic.

"For us as a school to have the prime minister visit by helicopter.

"I thought he was brilliant with the youngsters, very honest and open - they trusted him.

"I think he will leave behind a good legacy and I'm thrilled to bits he was able to come here today - it will live in all our minds."

Mr Blair said he felt he had achieved a "massive amount" in education during the last ten years.

He said when the Labour Party came to power only 80 schools had more than 70 per cent of pupils achieving five good GCSEs - when today there are more than 600.

He said Trust status would: "have a big effect will be to raise standards by making the job of education the whole community, not just the school, but also businesses and universities."

Mr Blair went on: "Today we have seen facilities that ten years ago would have been exceptional and increasingly today are the norm."

About his imminent departure as PM he said: "Ten years is a long time to do a job like this, but when I come and see these schools it gives me a thrill to have been part of such a big process of change."

Mr Blair was visiting five schools across the nation today.

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