The “real” Pudsey Bear helped a primary school to kickstart its efforts to raise funds for a national children’s charity.

Youngsters at Garden Suburb Junior School in Childs Way, Hampstead Garden Suburb, met the famous mascot for Children in Need on Monday after a parent with links to the charity arranged the visit, ahead of the annual fundraising day on Friday.

Children had their photo taken with the yellow one-eyed bear in the playground for a fee and bought the BBC charity’s official wristbands, which raised £361 on the day.

The school hopes to match the sum on Friday, when pupils will dress up as superheroes and sell cakes and biscuits. They will also design “superhero pants”, with the best pair winning prizes given out by Pudsey.

Headteacher Eileen Bhavsar said: “Pudsey went round all the classrooms and the children were really excited. Even the adults got excited.”