Music plays an important part in the life of St Jude’s. We intend to provide an opportunity for all pupils to learn an instrument and to be exposed to the rich cultural influences of music from the UK and around the world. It is an essential part of our daily assembly where opportunities for listening and performing are provided. Attached to this page are an outline of our curriculum and last year’s Music for Assembly list and associated PowerPoints, which show the diverse music that the children are exposed to.

Music is taught for an hour each week by a specialist teacher who has written her own scheme. We have a very strong relationship with Egham Band for which we are the flagship school for developing their own version of the previously funded Surrey Arts Tuning Up Scheme. We run a very successful brass teaching programme which loans every child a brass instrument in Year 4 (cornet, baritone or trombone), accompanied by weekly lessons during curriculum time. This has been so successful that some children have passed music exams and/or have become accomplished enough to perform in concerts. Egham Band has even created a Youth Band to enable our pupils to continue playing when they leave St Jude’s and go on to secondary school. Some of the founding members of this have now finished university and have returned to play as adults in the main band. 

Surrey County Arts peripatetic music teachers visit the school to instruct the children on a wide variety of instruments including piano and cello. We also have our own drumming teacher and have grown some very successful percussionists. Parents can apply for tuition via the school office for which a termly fee applies or lessons can be funded for disadvantaged pupils.

The school’s Year 6 pupils take part in an end of term production in July – some pupils performing as a band to accompany the actors.

Music is an integral part of our school and its impact can be seen through the joy that the children demonstrate when singing and playing. We aim to ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to experience and read music and to potentially unlock a skill and passion that they may not have even known they had.