CLAY hands and web sites are all on the agenda for the Duchess of Gloucester when she visits a Kesgrave school next month.The royal visit has been arranged to officially open Cedarwood School and she is due arrive in Ipswich around midday on March 20.

By Jessica Nicholls

CLAY hands and web sites are all on the agenda for the Duchess of Gloucester when she visits a Kesgrave school next month.

The royal visit has been arranged to officially open Cedarwood School and she is due arrive in Ipswich around midday on March 20. The Duchess is to spend an hour at the school in Peasey Lane, off Ropes Drive, meeting teachers and pupils and having a tour of the classrooms.

Lots of things are still being planned to mark her arrival and head teacher Doug Stroud said everyone was very excited about the news.

As well as performing the opening of the school, it is also hoped that the Duchess will also start off the official web site that is being set up.

Mr Stroud said: "It is lovely that she is coming here and we are all looking forward to it.

"We wanted to have someone memorable to do it and we have."

Once the Duchess has officially signed the visitors' book on the school web site, it is hoped that she will have a clay imprint made of her hand.

When the school opened in September each child made a clay imprint of their own hand for prosperity and Mr Stroud is now keen to add a royal model to the collection.

The youngsters are also getting their voices in tune ready to sing various songs and hymns to the Duchess.

Cedarwood hit the headlines last year as an environmentally friendly school with a green roof covered in a sedum blanket, which is similar to grass.

The low maintenance roof insulates the school in winter but keeps it cool in summer, as well as attracting many types of birds, butterflies and insects.

Mr Stroud said: "Things are going really well here now – it's like a real school now.

"We are planning for the future now and doing lots of fundraising.

"There are 126 pupils here at the moment and there will be a whole new class starting in September."

Still on the royal trail the school is planning to have a street party in Peasey Lane on the last day of the summer term to mark the Queen's jubilee year.

Mr Stroud said: "We are the only people in the lane so we will be inviting parents and grandparents to come along and join in."