"NOW LET'S shimmy!"
To the sounds of Cliff Richard and Lulu, teacher Debbie Richardson, who is clad in a luminous green mini dress, teemed with knee high white boots and white Baker Boy cap demonstrates the dance move to 15 enthralled five-year-olds who diligently copy.
Upstairs at West Horndon Primary School, Afghan coat-wearing teacher Julia Bolton gives pupils the lowdown on the emergence of the London fashion scene using pictures of Mary Quant, Twiggy, Mods and rockers, to demonstrate the styles of the day.
"The aim is to give them a brief talk about the fashion of the decade and how music and current events such as the space race influenced the clothes people wore, and then give them a chance to design their own 60s clothing item," she said.
This was 1960s day at the Thorndon Avenue school, which kicked off a week of learning about the decade. All staff dressed in 1960s costumes and lined up to greet pupils as they returned from their half term break.
The youngsters then took part in a range of activities to ensure they had a good grasp of the decade, which they will learn more about in the coming days.
It kicks off an entire half term of celebrations for the school's 50th anniversary, each week of which will be devoted to a different decade.
Head teacher Matt O'Grady, who is dressed as though he has just stepped out of Woodstock, explained: "At the start of each week staff will dress in the clothes of the decade so pupils can see the fashions of the time first hand. Every teacher has planned a programme of work for the week, related to the age of their pupils, which will ensure they learn about important events of that decade, and compare life then with how it is today. Alongside this they will be looking at the development of West Horndon as a community based on hundreds of old photos we have, and the history of the school."
If the 60s day is anything to go by, pupils will, by the start of their summer holidays, have a depth of knowledge about the second half of the 20th century.
"I think the teachers look really cool, said Brody Moroney, nine. "It's been really fun today and I've learnt so much about what happened in the 60s."
Connie Oughton, 10, said: "This has been my favourite activity as I've found it the most interesting. We had to consider what we thought to be the most important event, and for me that was Neil Armstrong being the first man to walk on the Moon."
Pupils had the chance to create their own pop art during a session based on the paintings of Andy Warhol. Designing their own covers for The Beatles' albums was another task, conducted of course while listening to the sounds of the Fab Four.
Harry Driscoll, 10, said: "I loved the pop art session the most as we could use fantastic bright colours. I think the 60s were fun because everyone wore really bright clothes."
Another session saw pupils follow a trail around the school bumping into life-size cardboard cut-outs of various Doctor Whos and his female accomplices.
The cut-outs have been appearing gradually around the school as a warm- up to the up-coming time-travel themed school play, which Mr O'Grady wrote himself, and includes a role for every child.
He explained: "Dr Who also has its 50th anniversary this year, so I thought we should tie it in. Our end of term production is going to be based on time travel, and will look at life at the school through the ages."
A 1960s-style buffet followed at the end of the day, complete with cheese and pineapple on sticks and prawn cocktails.
