

“When words fail, music speaks.”
William Shakespeare
Our Intent
Confucious said, ‘Music produces a kind of pleasure, which human nature cannot do without,’ and it is this pleasure that we strive to expose our children to. At St. John’s CE Academy, we are committed to an inclusive and inspiring music education that fosters a lifelong love of music. Our curriculum celebrates diversity, promotes equality of opportunity, and ensures that every child—regardless of background or ability—can access and thrive in music. Rooted in the principles of Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice (EDIJ), our music provision encourages creativity, nurtures talent, and explores music from a wide range of cultures and traditions.
We empower students to find their voice through music, building confidence, collaboration, and personal expression in a fair and welcoming environment.
Aligned with Development Matters and the Model Music Curriculum, our programme is coherent, progressive, and accessible to all. By embracing diverse musical heritages, we promote justice and representation, helping every child feel seen and valued. Music at St. John’s is not only a creative outlet, but also a powerful tool for inclusion, emotional well-being, and spiritual growth.
Implementation
To realise our music curriculum’s intent, we partner with Sing Education, a specialist provider of music education. Our carefully structured, half-termly units build on prior learning while introducing new concepts, ensuring a clear progression of musical skills and knowledge. The Kodaly method supports this by presenting ideas in a logical, experience-based sequence. Specialist teachers deliver inclusive, child-centered lessons that inspire a love for singing and music-making.
These sessions are enriched by quality resources, instruments, and dedicated music spaces. Performances and recordings each half term give students the chance to showcase their progress and reflect on their learning. Students also benefit from online resources, lunchtime music clubs and singing assemblies. Our curriculum, aligned with the Model Music Curriculum, develops confident, skilled, and culturally aware musicians, ready for lifelong musical exploration.




Contact Information
Headteacher: Mr M Ramsay
Fenby Avenue
Darlington
County Durham
DL1 4UB
01325 380725 | admin@stjohnsceacademy.co.uk
Our School
In our most recent Ofsted inspection, the school was graded as ‘Outstanding.’ We provide high-quality teaching from caring, conscientious staff who are committed to ensuring that every child reaches their full potential.
Christian values are fostered within our friendly school and we were rated ‘Outstanding’ in our most recent Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS). We have links with Darlington Deanery and the Durham Diocese.
We are part of DNDLT

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St John's CE Academy DarlingtonFriday, July 11th, 2025 at 10:24am
Today we celebrated those children who have not missed a single day this year (100% attendance). We also awarded Sports awards to those children who displayed an excellent attitude during Sports Day.
Lastly, Bradley was awarded the Quinn Cup this week.
Well done everyone!
Lastly, Bradley was awarded the Quinn Cup this week.
Well done everyone!
St John's CE Academy DarlingtonThursday, July 10th, 2025 at 8:28am
A few highlights from a wonderful Sports Day on Tuesday.
St John's CE Academy DarlingtonMonday, July 7th, 2025 at 9:16am
LAST WEEK FOR AFTERSCHOOL CLUBS
Please note that this week is the last week for Afterschool Clubs. There will be no clubs next week.
Please note that this week is the last week for Afterschool Clubs. There will be no clubs next week.
St John's CE Academy DarlingtonMonday, July 7th, 2025 at 8:24am
Year 2 had a great time exploring micro-habitats in the wildlife garden last week!
St John's CE Academy DarlingtonFriday, July 4th, 2025 at 2:42pm
KS1 and 2 had a very special visitor this afternoon. Lola McEvoy, MP for Darlington, came to talk to the children. She answered lots of questions and gave each child free tickets to Hope Town to celebrate 200 years since the first passenger train!