CHILDREN wore odd socks to school to celebrate individuality and illustrate how difference does not stop people working well together.

Pupils at St Margaret’s Preparatory School, Calne wore the unusual addition to their uniform as part of National Anti-Bullying Week, where the focus this year was Choose Respect.

Deputy head Cath Jones said: ‘We explored the importance of respecting each other, both face-to-face and online, whilst recognising that our differences deserve to be celebrated, not used as a reason to be unkind to one another.”

Pupils donated £1 each on the day, which St Margaret’s will be sending to the NSPCC.

Students and staff at the Corsham School also joined in with Anti-Bullying week’s Odd Socks Day.

"The campaign, which aimed to spread the message that we are all different but, like odd socks, we can still live and work together was warmly embraced by us all," said Emma Fairbairn, year 7 learning manager.

An unusual display was created in the main hall to illustrate the point, with anti-bullying messages and comments about this year’s message of ‘Choose Respect' hanging on a washing line of donated socks.

Assemblies and tutor group activities took place all week and a portion of the money raised by the school's non-uniform day will be donated to the Anti-Bullying Alliance to help the work they do.

Anti-Bullying Week 2018, which was Monday November 12 to16, was coordinated by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, based at leading children’s charity the National Children’s Bureau.

The campaign aimed to help schools young people understand the definition of respect, that bullying is a behaviour choice, and that people can disagree respectfully, and that everyone needs to choose to respect each other, both face to face and online.

The odd socks theme was echoed by children's presenter Andy Day., who formed a band called Andy and the Odd Socks to promote the message that it’s good to be different and everyone is unique. The Anti-Bullying Alliance is a coalition of organisations and individuals that seeks to stop bullying and create safer environments for children and young people.