Year 6 at the Queensbridge Primary School represent Romeo & Juliet in the East Side, a musical version which combines Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. Directed by Kate Somerby

Queensbridge Primary school year six pupils made their head teacher proud before they left for secondary school with a glittering performance of Romeo and Juliet in the East Side.

Year 6 at the Queensbridge Primary School represent Romeo & Juliet in the East Side, a musical version which combines Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. Directed by Kate Somerby (with flowers in the center)

The 11-year olds from the school in Queensbridge Road dazzled the audience with their musical, which combined the Shakespeare classic with Bernstein’s Broadway show West Side Story.

For several weeks preceding the show music teachers put the children through their paces, including Kate Somerby who used to work as a musical director at the National Theatre.

“As always our expectations were very high and we treated them like actors, not 11-year old mixed ability children, we were particularly stern and professional,” said head teacher Sarah Bailey.

“They were totally responsible for the running of the show as no-one was back-stage with a script. It was a remarkable feat and they did us proud.

“The children rose to the challenge and they were amazing – the majority of them treated the performance so seriously that they far exceeded any expectations Kate and I might have had at the beginning.”