Prince Charles, the homemade honey and the ice penguins at Ashley Primary School Walton

Ashley C of E Primary School took the message of Harmony, written by Prince Charles, Tony Juniper and Ian Skelly in 2010, to heart and have been transforming the school since.

The Prince visited the Walton school on Wednesday.

Extremely quiet children from reception to Year 6 were stationed in the hall ready for the royal visit. A chosen few stood in between tables and display boards showcasing their projects.

The Prince took his time and walked from group to group asking what they had been working on and what they had learnt from it.

Lucy Corney, in year 2, said she had told him about the cat puppet she had sewn together.

She said: "It was exciting, and a I was bit nervous. He was really interested in our learning."

The Prince enthusiastically talked to some pupils busily engaged in sculpting two large blocks of ice into a mother and baby penguin.

For a moment he looked like he might pick up a tool and get stuck in but said: "I don't think I'd be any good at all", and suggested the youngsters should use it for ice cream.

After a full school assembly and the presentation of honey - by two tiny beekeepers - a book and a framed copy of the school song, Prince Charles said: "What a great and special pleasure it has been to join you all here at the school here today, and to see some of the work you are doing with Harmony.

"I was amazed when your headteacher took an interest in this and the fact that he has managed to turn the book into a living demonstration of how to reconnect us all to the world around us in nature and to understand better the harmony and interconnectedness.

"I've been fascinated to see what you're all doing."

Deputy headteacher Jackie Stevens said: “The children loved it and they were all saying he’s really nice. He’s so kind and it was so nice that he spent such a long time with them.

“I think they will always remember it.”