A progressive music teacher sneaked the fourth-form choir out of lessons in 1979 to sing at a local recording studio with the band Pink Floyd. The rebellious anthem, with its key line, “We don’t need no education”, became a worldwide hit and the subsequent double album, The Wall, sold 12 million copies.

But shocked at the song’s content, Islington Green’s head teacher refused to let the children appear on Top of the Pops or in Pink Floyd’s video. Dave Gilmour, the Pink Floyd guitarist, amassed a £75 million fortune. The school received a £1,000 cheque. The children were unpaid and anonymous.

Now, through Friends Reunited, the North London class of 1979 has gathered to pursue a claim for thousands of pounds of unpaid royalties from British and international air play. Margaret Maden, the former head teacher, has written a letter backing them.

A change in copyright law in 1996 means that the former choirboys are entitled to payment as session musicians. The Performing Artists’ Media Rights Association (Pamra), which distributes royalty payments, said that it would make payments to former pupils who can prove that they sang on the record. Securing evidence is proving a challenge for Peter Rowan, a music royalties expert, who is helping the choir. He said: “There is no paperwork from the session or with EMI confirming the singers.”

A spokesman for Pamra said: “We have already had a letter from the headmistress confirming one child was in the choir and this should be acceptable as a legal affidavit.”

Peter Thorpe, one singer, said: “We were just taken to the studios and it was great fun. I didn’t realise royalties were owed and I’m very glad to be in a position to claim them.”

Pink Floyd’s management first approached Alun Renshaw, Islington Green’s music teacher, to borrow a school choir. Mr Renshaw took the class to Britannia Row studios without the permission of Ms Maden, who described him as “somewhat anarchic”. He recalled: “We practised around the piano at school, then recorded it. I sort of mentioned it to the head teacher but didn’t give her the lyrics.” The Inner London Education Authority called the lyrics “scandalous”, and the song was banned in South Africa, where it was blamed for inciting riots among pupils. Ms Maden now says that “it was part of a rich musical education”.

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