Children from a Tower Hamlets primary school have been hand-picked by Danny Boyle for the Olympics opening ceremony after he visited their school.

Thirty-one children at Marion Richardson Primary School have now been told they will be taking part in the ceremony, directed by the Oscar winning Slumdog director, after 66 year three to four pupils auditioned when he came to their school in Senrab Street, Stepney, in January.

Head teacher Maggie Avery said: “Danny Boyle came here with a team who taught the children a modern dance routine, which they then had to dance in front of him. Both pupils and teachers were very excited and nervous.

“When we found out who had made it through to the ceremony we spoke to pupils individually and also told their parents.

“Those who made it are extremely happy and so are the parents. Those who didn’t make it are hoping they may still make it as reserves.

“We’ve been told by organisers to have a couple of pupils as reserves, but it is not clear whether that would be for the opening or closing ceremony.”

Only two other primary schools in Tower Hamlets, Marner in Bow and Manorfield in Bromley-by-Bow, will see pupils taking part in the opening ceremony after joining the official 2012 Get Set education programme.

The only secondary school in Tower Hamlets whose students were given the chance to audition, after also joining the Get Set programme was Langdon Park School, Byron School, Poplar.

Thirty-seven out of the 80 Langdon Park students who auditioned earlier in the year have now found out that they have made it through to the opening ceremony.

Head teacher Chris Dunne said: “It was just like you would imagine. Some were jumping up and down after finding out they had made it. But there was also tears and disappointment from those who didn’t.”

All the students who auditioned take part in compulsory dance classes as part of the school’s sports programme.

Mr Dunne is fighting for funding for the programme after it lost government funding.