The Queen was shown round by head teacher Hugh Howe

She met staff and pupils at Fir Vale School and officially opened new buildings on the first stop of her day-long visit to the city.

Earl Marshall School, as Fir Vale was previously known, was condemned as one of 18 failing schools by the then Education Secretary David Blunkett in 1998.

It hit the national headlines as the school in Mr Blunkett's Sheffield Brightside constituency.

Since then the inner-city comprehensive school has undergone a total transformation, with a new name, new staff, new management and new buildings.

It's quite something that the best building in this community is the school Hugh Howe Head teacher

Head teacher Hugh Howe greeted the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The head showed the Queen around various classes taking place, including keyboard lessons in the music room and bread-making in the kitchen areas.

She was then shown out into the playground where hundreds of pupils from Fir Vale and surrounding primary schools cheered and waved their Union flags.

The Duke of Edinburgh chatted with staff and asked one group of parents if they had been at the school in the "bad old days".

The women looked baffled after they said they had. The Duke then joked: "So that's why you can't read and write then."

Diverse community

Mr Howe told the Queen: "Whilst we come from many different cultures we share one common aim that is through education we can make a difference to our children."

Speaking later Mr Howe added: "It's quite something that the best building in this community is the school.

"I also think it's tremendous that such a diverse ethnic community can see the head of state of our country."

The Queen later left the school heading for the Millennium Galleries and Winter Garden complex in Sheffield city centre.

Thousands of people turned out to greet her as she undertook a 20-minute walkabout in Sheffield city centre.

Earlier the Queen toured Sheffield's new Winter Garden

After officially opening the new Winter Garden, the centrepiece of the �120m redevelopment of the city centre, the royal party walked through the peace gardens to the Victorian Town Hall.

The couple then appeared on the balcony to the cheers of the crowds below.

Earlier, the Queen toured the Millennium Galleries where she met families of Territorial Army soldiers who are still serving in Iraq.

She spent about 20 minutes chatting to the families before looking around the galleries.

Sheffield City Council leader Jan Wilson said the city was delighted to welcome the Queen.

She added that her visit "will underline Sheffield's place as a top UK and European city for residents, visitors and investors alike".