Director Kevin Thomas asked 85 pupils at Ayloff primary in Hornchurch to run past the camera and pretend to be playing outside to help promote www.learnfree.co.uk - the TES’s education website for parents.

Head Angela Shea must now decide how to spend the pound;1,100 location fee and the pound;500 the children earned as extras. Her netball court also got a much-needed make-over, because the worn-out lines din’t show up on camera.

She said: “All the children were very keen to take part. Even the ones who weren’t filmed enjoyed what was going on and I think it’s been a learning experience for all of us. We’ll certainly find a way of building on this experience as part of their work in class over the coming weeks.”

The adverts highlight parents’ concerns: scenes include a pupil who sits alone in the playground, and girls wearing make-up. The adverts are due to go out in April.