A former death metal keyboardist-turned-composer, has teamed up with students to create a series of musicals aimed at helping children learn the school curriculum.

Andrew Holdsworth, of Tooting, who has worked with Pavarotti, Primal Scream and played with Goth-rockers Paradise Lost, has written the scripts and songs for publishers Scholastic, covering the Key stage II curriculum.

Pupils from Hurst Lodge school in Ascot, where Mr Holdsworth works part time as a teacher, helped to write the songs and design and choreograph the musical.

He said: “I would perform the song for the children a few times and then let them sing there version back to me, which was more often than not different to mine, this hopefully the cadence and rhythm natural to a child.”

The music forms part of an increasing trend of primary schools exploring more creative ways of teaching in an attempt to reach students that may otherwise be left behind.

He added: “Most importantly for me, children with learning difficulties and special needs found themselves on a level playing field with their peers when it came to remembering facts and concepts that were embedded within the lyrics.”

Holdsworth began writing these children's songs after being approached by a science teacher to write a song to help GCSE students.

This led to him releasing 'Sing your times tables with Percy Parker' in 2006.

The first musical Tudors to the 20th Century is already available with Ancient History and Invaders and Science and Nature due to be released later on in the year.