Stratford schoolchildren are finally able to talk about their secret starring role in a BBC Olympics programme.

Colegrave Primary School, in Henniker Road, featured in BBC1’s “London 2012 - One Hundred Days To Go” on Wednesday April 18.

The special programme to mark the London 2012 milestone was narrated by double gold medallist and Team USA Olympian Michael Johnson who visited the school for filming on November 15.

Colegrave were joined for the event by their partner school Darton Primary from Barnsley.

Eager to watch their TV debut, teachers held an assembly viewing for staff and pupils using BBC iPlayer.

Katie Parks, Assistant Head Teacher, said: “It was just incredible. The children were just sitting there really proud and they were so chuffed.”

Apart from a mention in the school’s newsletter of Mr Johnson’s visit, the pupils and staff had to keep their involvement with the programme a secret - something easier said than done.

Ms Park said: “The children were actually quite good at keeping quiet about it, it was the teachers who were the problem! We were just all so excited.”

But the school have had to grow accustomed to keeping secrets, due in large part to their next starring role in the Opening Ceremony on July 27.

Watched by an estimated international audience of one billion people, the extravaganza in the Olympic Stadium in Stratford has invited a number of local schoolchildren to participate.

The event, directed by Oscar winner Danny Boyle, is a huge secret so the Colegrave pupils are unable to know what their exact role is yet but rehearsals are expected to begin in the next few weeks.

To make retired sprinter Michael Johnson welcome, Year One waved US flags as he arrived before a welcome by the school’s Olympic/Paralympic Committee.

Mr Johnson partipated in some cyber coaching with Foundation Stage pupils before playing Indoor Curling and Target Ball with pupils in Years Three and Four.

He enjoyed a view of the Olympic Village from the school playground and then took part in a question and answer session with pupils in Years Five and Six.

This was the first time that Mr Johnson had been in a British primary school and he said he was very impressed by the atmosphere, the children, and the warmth of everybody.