CHILDREN at a primary school said a welcoming bonjour to a whole day of French-themed activities.

Shelley Primary School, in Milton Crescent, Ongar, invited in specialist activity group Cultural Day Experience to bedeck the classrooms with Gallic tricolours and decorations for the occasion to get the pupils in the mood for some French fun.

Among the tasks set for the children, they had to dress in French costume, learn a traditional Gallic dance, and play games of boule and petanque.

By the end of the day they knew all about Bastille Day, and the impressionists, and could recite Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes off-by-heart in French.

School Modern Foreign Languages coordinator Anne Nattrass said: “It was a great day and the children all agreed. By the end of the day there were lots of 'bonjours' and 'mercis'. It's the first time we've introduced French into the school but it's something we'll be doing annually.”