It’s my favourite time of year in Lion Class: Sats are over and rehearsals for our summer play are about to begin.

The end-of-year play is a great opportunity to foster pupil’s independence and confidence skills before they set off for secondary in September, and if you plan carefully, the whole process can be smooth and stress-free.

There are several important steps that I always follow.

1. Choose your play wisely

I always use the summer half-term to trawl through the internet, seeking an age-appropriate script. In recent years, we have performed versions of Shakespeare‘s The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

This year, I am considering something new: a musical. But I have some concerns. Will 30 voices be loud enough? Can some pupils sing solos without straining the ears of even the proudest parents?

It is important to consider the practicalities of any play you choose. Once the script is selected, I strike out any bits I dislike and add in some of my own ideas, to make sure that the play really suits the pupils I am working with.

2. Take care with casting

Children love the competition of auditions. However, I can’t emphasise strongly enough how important this part of the process is - get the casting wrong and you could be in for a tough time.

I have had experiences with children who auditioned for big parts and regretted it as soon as rehearsals began. This is distressing for the child and frustrating for the teacher. My advice: know your children very well and be aware of their sensitivities.

It takes a lot of confidence to get up on stage and play an ugly monster, so cast characters like Caliban very carefully. Humorous parts can also be challenging, so watch out for these, too.

3. Keep your cool in rehearsals

I am a teacher who is lucky enough to love directing and producing a school play, but even for teachers like me there will be times when the rehearsal process feels stressful.

So, I have one golden rule for rehearsals: never, ever shout at the actors.

It is always vital to remember that this really is only a school play with untrained child-actors. The best productions are always the ones where everyone was allowed to thoroughly enjoy the experience.

4. Don’t forget the crew

There will always be children who would rather oversee the lighting than appear on stage. Likewise, there will be others who prefer to do the sound effects, design the programme or make the props, costumes and scenery. I always ensure that these children are credited in the programme in a separate section to the cast list.

Some are also good at directing; I sit these children beside me during rehearsals, give them a notepad and take notice of their advice.

5. Perform a dress rehearsal

Make sure you perform a dress rehearsal to the whole school first. It is a chance for the actors to perform in front of their peers, who are often also the most generous of audiences, which helps them to gain confidence.

6. Pull in the punters

In addition to the friends and families of pupils in my own class, I aim to sell tickets to all other parents in the school. This guarantees a bigger audience and creates a better atmosphere.

The night of the performance is also a good opportunity to raise money to support this and future productions. In addition to ticket sales, you could charge for programmes and sell home-made refreshments before and during the interval.

And don’t forget to invite the local press. A photograph of your intrepid actors in the local newspaper is a fantastic way of showing off everyone’s hard work.

Amelia Ellis is a Year 5/6 class teacher and assistant headteacher at Woolavington Village Primary School, Somerset