When you decide to stage a school musical, the entire enterprise can generate so much interest and enthusiasm from pupils that it would feel rather a missed opportunity not to harness this energy for other areas of learning. Subjects such as English, History, Art, Music, Drama and PSHE all lend themselves to such an approach, but with a bit of inventiveness, even Science, Mathematics and Geography lessons offer relevant learning opportunities and oodles of fun.

When it comes to roles in school musicals, children aren’t fools; they know there can only be one Matilda, one Peter Pan, one Tinkerbell, one Doctor Dolittle. They desperately try for these parts, but they accept that they are unlikely to get them. But that doesn’t mean that children not cast as main roles should instantly become anonymous, characterless members of the ensemble, to be positioned somewhere near the back of the stage whenever a song kicks in. Or third nameless pirate from the right, whose sole contribution is to wear an amusing headscarf.