Music – St John's Church of England Academy

Music Curriculum

“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.

Music Progression of Skills

Music Long Term Plan

Music at St. John’s

Harvest Festival 2022

October 11, 2022

Year 3, Year 4 & Year 5 Ukulele Performances

July 18, 2022

Year 4 – Make Music Day

June 24, 2022

Year 6 – Visit to QE

June 17, 2022

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St John's CE Academy Darlington

St John's CE Academy DarlingtonThursday, April 2nd, 2026 at 12:00pm

Due to popular demand, we are opening the Book Fair after school tonight from 3:20pm - 3:45pm.

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St John's CE Academy DarlingtonThursday, April 2nd, 2026 at 11:14am

GOODBYE AND THANKYOU

Dear Parents and Carers,

I would like to extend my sincere thanks for the unwavering support, kindness, and trust you have shown over the past few years. It has been both an honour and a privilege to serve this remarkable community and to play a part in shaping the lives of your truly wonderful children.

As I have previously mentioned, my daily commute to Darlington is considerable, so when the opportunity arose to take on a similar role at a school much closer to home, it offered the prospect of a better work life balance. This was not a decision I made lightly, but one I felt I could not reasonably decline.

Reflecting on my time at St John’s fills me with immense pride and affection. I joined the school as Assistant Head in January 2014 and had the great honour of becoming Headteacher in 2021. Following in the footsteps of Miss Large was no small task; however, from the very beginning, you welcomed me with warmth and generosity, for which I will always be deeply grateful. Working alongside such dedicated staff, supportive families, and, above all, such inspiring children has been an absolute joy.

As the saying goes, all things must come to an end. While this chapter is closing, the memories and relationships I have formed here will remain with me always.

Mrs Rossington will take on the role of Acting Headteacher for the summer term, supported by Mrs Ferris as Acting Deputy Head. Having worked closely with both colleagues over a number of years, I have every confidence that the school will continue to thrive under their care, and it will very much be business as usual. The Trust is currently undertaking the process of appointing a permanent Headteacher for September 2026.

As we approach the Easter period, I would like to wish you and your families a joyful and peaceful holiday, along with every happiness and success in the years ahead. St John’s will forever hold a very special place in my heart, and I will miss you all dearly.

With sincere affection and gratitude,

Mr Ramsay

94242

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St John's CE Academy DarlingtonWednesday, April 1st, 2026 at 8:21am

Year 2 had great fun collecting weather data with their very own homemade equipment last week. They developed some fantastic Geography skills!

Year 2 - Collecting Weather Data

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

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St John's CE Academy DarlingtonTuesday, March 31st, 2026 at 8:47pm

Our amazing dancers dazzled at the Hippodrome on Monday night at the Darlington Dance Festival. They had a wonderful time performing on the big stage and impressed everyone with their talent!

Thank you to Mrs Penteney, Miss Hodgson and Miss Taylor for helping our girls shine even brighter! If you missed their performance, take a look at the video to see the fantastic routine they performed for the rest of school!