Students at a school in Tottenham did away with their school uniform this week to mark Black History Month.

Every pupil at Lea Valley Primary School, Somerford Grove, from nursery to Year 6 used the “tie-dye” technique to make special T-shirts in a rainbow of different colours.

They were then allowed to wear them in school on the last day before half-term.

Year 6 pupil Anna, who was also celebrating her eleventh birthday, said she enjoyed having a different uniform for the day.

She said: “We learned about Nelson Mandela in class.

"Black people were treated differently in South Africa but he changed the rights and was the first black president.”

The students made the T-shirts by folding the material into a shape of their choice and holding it tightly in place with string.

They then dipped them into dye and left them out to dry overnight.

The day was organised by Yvette Kruger, the school’s head of humanities, who said Lea Valley Primary School tried to celebrate Black History Month in a different way each year.

She said: “The students listened to music of black origin as they made the shirts, and they learned about diversity and famous figures from around the world.

“It had to be a fun activity. We didn’t want to give them just another huge lecture.”