An open day was “an owling success” for new parents whose children are set to join one of the big Tower Hamlets secondary schools in London’s East End in September, according to Year 6 pupils and their mums.

East London Advertiser: Little Frankie makes friends with Billy the barn owl at Bishop Challoner school's open day... keeper Bill Phillips brought him in to meet new parents like Karren Kinsella (centre) whose daughter Molly, 11, joins in September [photos: Melissa Page]Little Frankie makes friends with Billy the barn owl at Bishop Challoner school's open day... keeper Bill Phillips brought him in to meet new parents like Karren Kinsella (centre) whose daughter Molly, 11, joins in September [photos: Melissa Page] (Image: Archant)

Billy the Barn owl was the big hit of the day when his keeper Billy Phillips brought him along to Stepney’s Bishop Challoner School to meet them, like Karren Kinsella whose daughter Molly, just turned 11, joins next term.

But Billy—the owl, that is, not Billy his keeper—was a real hit with Molly’s younger friend, six-year-old Frankie.

Bishop Challoner staged its annual open day to welcome new parents and pupils to get to know the school in the Commercial Road, ready to join after the summer holiday, and to promote itself in the East End’s tight-knit community.

Billy, from BP Falconry in Hornchurch, was part of a mini farm set up for the day.

East London Advertiser: Little Frankie makes friends with Billy the barn owl at Bishop Challoner school's open day... keeper Bill Phillips brought him in to meet new parents like Karren Kinsella (centre) whose daughter Molly, 11, joins in September [photos: Melissa Page]Little Frankie makes friends with Billy the barn owl at Bishop Challoner school's open day... keeper Bill Phillips brought him in to meet new parents like Karren Kinsella (centre) whose daughter Molly, 11, joins in September [photos: Melissa Page] (Image: Archant)

But there were other attractions for youngsters like go-karting, dancing by IMD Legion from Britain’s Got Talent, a masterclass in making mugs and, of course, candy floss and soccer.

The Parents and Friends Association’s Sandra Bramble was rushed off her feet serving up fruit juices at her Caribbean Tropical Paradise stall, frequented by the school’s somewhat thirsty parental engagement co-ordinator Chris Cowie and media resources officer Alan Finch.

Meanwhile, school staff member Lawrence Justin-Yiga was busy at the barbecue running up steaks and burgers for the hungry mob.