Sherston Primary School hit a high note this week as it raised funds for an African School with a three-hour sing-a-thon.

The singing marathon, which took place on Tuesday, was held to raise money and awareness for Sherston Musul School in Kenya.

Debbie Liddle, deputy headteacher of Sherston School, said: “We’ve had contact with the Musul community in Kenya for coming up to ten years.

“I went out in 2004 to help build a couple of water towers, and since then we have built a school and had regular contact with them.

“They called themselves Sherston Musul, and their chief warrior came to open a building here. We’ve kept the regular contact and try to do something each year as a fundraiser.”

For three hours, students, teachers, and other members of staff passed the Maasai Urungu stick, keeping the flow of song.

Traditional African songs, nursery rhymes and show pieces were among those performed.

Mrs Liddle said: “Music is a crucial part of their tradition and a lot of their lessons are sung, so we thought this was appropriate.”

Sherston Musul School is in the Rift Valley in the Laikipia District 50 miles northwest of Mt Kenya. It is one of a number of small schools supporting a community of 3,000 Maasai people. Teaching resources are scarce in this remote part of Kenya, so many of the lessons in Sherston Musul are taught through the medium of song.

There is only one government teacher, Joshua Kinyua Kaburu, and some local help in the classroom and kitchen at Sherston Musul School.

In Kenya, primary education is free but communities are expected to build the school and provide supplies before it can be put forward and be recognised for limited funding and government-provided teachers. Sherston Musul School was recognised in 2008.

For more information, visit www.sherstonmusul.com