Pupil Freya Bakker was invited to sing at the US embassy in London after a performance of the US national anthem in Gravesend.

The 12-year-old from St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School, Gravesend, performed during a visit by US Ambassador Matthew Barzun, who was in town for a ceremony launching events to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of Pocahontas.

The ambassador, who leaves the position as the US presidency changes hands, was so impressed he invited Freya to sing the anthem at his farewell party in London the next day.

St John’s School’s head teacher Matt Barron said: “He was so touched by her performance that he invited her and myself to the US embassy in Grosvenor Square to perform – and he tweeted her live performance.

“It was a real privilege.”

Mr Barron said it had been the culmination of an exciting week, which had seen Met Police officers sweeping the school prior to the top-secret visit.

“Things like that don’t often happen in Gravesend,” he added.

“But he was very personable and the students got a lot out of it.

“He spoke about the US-UK relationship and things that were foremost in our students’ minds.

“He spoke about history and the election process.

“It’s surreal having all these things happening.”

Pupils also took part in a project led by the Big Ideas Company, making artwork inspired by Pocahontas, and were visited by one of her descendents, John Rolfe.

Here are the words Freya sang out:

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?