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Pupils at Nick Clegg’s old school sang Hey Jude during prayers and staged a water fight in a Facebook-organised end-of-term rebellion.

Students at the £23,000-a-year Westminster School refused to sing Deus Misereatur during Latin prayers and instead gave a rousing rendition of the Beatles classic.

Up to 80 were said to have staged the water fight in the school yard, leading to 12 being sent home. One pupil said: “It was great. Everyone in the hall kept marvellously straight faces. We had been told the headmaster would say, ‘Turn to page 52 of the school almanac,’ and the organist would begin playing. At the point where we were supposed to come in and sing the psalm, everyone roared ‘Hey Jude’ and sang along.”

A total of 496 pupils were notified about the revolt, on April 25, via a Facebook group called “Hai Jude”. It told students that when the song finished they were to “resume the Latin prayer as if nothing has happened ... Viva la revolution”.

The water fight is believed to have been an end-of-term celebration known as Muck-Up Day. Headmaster Dr Stephen Spurr said only about 20 boys were involved: “Those who were seen throwing water were told to cool off for a day. I wouldn’t call it a suspension.

“As for the Latin prayers, their Hey Jude stopped after the first verse because I don’t think they knew any more of the words — I felt tempted to sing them.

“There is a difference between that and poor unsuspecting teachers and younger children getting drenched by water.

“People get a bit worked up at the end of term because it’s the end of five years and they are going on for the first time in their lives to a wider world. Sometimes people do have a few pranks and high jinks.”