Plundering wasn’t on the agenda when the infant classes at St John’s Primary School in Wellington enjoyed pirate play.

The pupils enthusiastically completed their half-term topic Out to Sea with a fun afternoon in which children and staff dressed as pirates.

Pirate crew danced to horn pipes and shanty music while sailing the high sea, climbing the rigging, scrubbing the decks and saluting the captain – Year 1 teacher Mrs Weymouth.

The children learnt pirate songs and Year 2 teacher Miss Maud accompanied the singing with her ukulele.

Pupils also learnt pirate facts – one youngster said afterwards: “I can whistle...but did you know that whistling was bad luck on a pirate ship because they thought it would make the weather stormy?”

Staff said: “Luckily, during the afternoon, there wasn’t a mutiny and no children were made to ‘walk the plank’...Ahhh haaa there, me hearties!”