Students at Simon Marks Primary school have been getting creative in the run-up to an annual Jewish festival.

As part of Sukkot – which begins tonight (Weds) and runs until Wednesday – meals are eaten in a hut-like “sukkah”, which is temporarily in place at the school.

The word “sukkot” means huts, and building a hut is the most common way to celebrate a festival commemorating the years that the Jews spent in the desert on their way to the promised land.

Children at the Cazenove Road have been spending their lunchtimes decorating the sukkah with fruit and art depicting harvest or festival themes.

Headteacher Gulcan Metin, who had never experienced Sukkot before, said: “The children have been really excited to make beautiful decorations and we are all looking forward to spending time in the sukkah over Sukkot.”