Discover Music at Upton Junior School: Our Curriculum Intent

"Ah music. A magic beyond all we do here."
​J. K. Rowling.

At Upton Junior School, music is enjoyed and valued by all pupils. Our curriculum is designed to inspire a lifelong love of music, nurturing creativity, self-confidence, and the ability to work collaboratively.

We place a strong emphasis on practical music-making, with pupils actively engaged in performing and composing. Children have the opportunity to develop as confident performers on a range of instruments, learning essential skills such as good timing, accurate technique, and effective group work. These foundations enable pupils to become competent musicians who can thrive in ensemble settings, preparing them well for future study at secondary school and beyond.

Above all, our intent is for pupils to fall in love with music performance. By prioritising enjoyment and participation, we aim to spark real passion for music and foster resilience, inspiration, and self-expression that extend far beyond the classroom.

We’re incredibly proud to share that 115 instrumental lesson slots have been filled this term – a huge milestone for our school! With 343 pupils on roll, this means around 35% of our children are learning a musical instrument – far above the national average of just around 10%. This remarkable level of engagement reflects our pupils’ enthusiasm and our whole-school commitment to ensuring every child has access to rich, high-quality musical experiences.

Music at Upton Junior School has been proudly recognised with multiple Music Mark awards, celebrating our commitment to providing pupils with access to high-quality music education and a broad, balanced curriculum.

We are proud to introduce our Music Ambassador Initiative, launching in 2026, designed to celebrate student leadership, promote musical excellence, and ensure every voice in our music community is heard.

What is a Music Ambassador?

Music Ambassadors are student leaders who represent the music department, inspire others to engage with music, and help shape the musical culture of the school. They act as positive role models, advocates for inclusion, and a bridge between students and staff.

Roles and Responsibilities

Our Music Ambassadors will:

• Promote participation in music across the whole school, encouraging students of all abilities to get involved

• Support rehearsals, concerts, and events, helping with organisation and welcoming performers and audiences

• Represent student voice, sharing ideas and feedback to help develop the music programme

• Mentor younger students, offering encouragement and guidance

• Champion inclusivity, ensuring music opportunities are accessible and welcoming to everyone

• Act as ambassadors for the school, supporting performances within the community and at special events

An Inclusive Leadership Model

To ensure fairness, opportunity, and broad representation, our programme follows an inclusive structure:

• Two students will be appointed as Lead Music Ambassadors for the year

• Alongside them, two additional Music Ambassadors will be selected

• The Lead Ambassadors will provide continuity and ongoing leadership

• The additional ambassadors will alternate responsibilities throughout the year, allowing more students to develop leadership skills, gain experience, and contribute meaningfully

• This approach ensures that leadership is shared, voices are diverse, and more students benefit from the experience of representing the department.

Why This Matters

The Music Ambassador Initiative is about more than titles. It is about:

• Building confidence and communication skills

• Fostering teamwork and responsibility

• Celebrating talent in all its forms

• Creating a vibrant, supportive, and inclusive music culture across the school

We look forward to seeing our students grow as leaders and role models through this exciting new initiative in 2026.

Music Extra-Curricular Activities!

Our music programme extends far beyond the classroom, offering a wide range of exciting extra-curricular opportunities. The exceptionally high level of participation across these clubs reflects the strong musical ethos throughout the school and the enthusiasm of our pupils.

Let’s Go, Safari! (Drumming Group)

A vibrant and energetic drumming group featuring steel pans, djembes, cajons and caixas. This ensemble develops rhythm skills, teamwork and performance confidence in a fun, inclusive environment.

• Open to all

• When: Every Friday lunchtime, 12:15–12:40

• Where: Main Music Room

• Led by: Mr Potter

Sound Storm! (Singing Group)

Led by our singing specialist, this group is known for its vibrant, energetic performances and infectious enthusiasm. A fantastic opportunity for pupils to develop vocal technique, confidence and ensemble skills.

• Open to all

• When: Every Monday lunchtime, 12:15–12:40

• Where: Main Music Room

• Led by: Mrs Baxter

Satellite Dreams (School Band - Invitation Only)

Our School Band has a long-standing reputation for exceptionally high-level performances, consistently pushing the boundaries of expectation year after year. Members work at an advanced level, developing musicianship, collaboration and performance excellence.

• By invitation only

• When: Every Tuesday, 15:15–16:00

• Where: Main Music Room

• Led by: Mr Potter

The Kazoo Krew!

A much-loved and unique ensemble that rehearses for one term each year, alternating between our Christmas and Summer concerts. Alongside the kazoos, some pupils also get to enjoy using a couple of cheeky slide whistles, which always add extra fun and laughter to rehearsals! Rehearsal days and times vary but are always clearly communicated when the project begins.

• Open to all when rehearsals are announced

• Timings: Vary by term (well promoted in advance – keep an ear out!)

• Led by: Miss Gibbons

Performance Opportunities

Performance is at the heart of musical life in our school. In addition to our two major school concerts each year, pupils regularly have opportunities to perform in:

• Singing assemblies

• Celebration assemblies

These experiences help students build confidence, develop stage presence, and take pride in sharing their talents with the wider school community.

Why Extra-Curricular Music Matters

Our extensive programme of clubs and ensembles:

• Builds confidence and resilience

• Encourages teamwork and leadership

• Strengthens a sense of belonging

• Celebrates creativity and self-expression

We are incredibly proud of the enthusiasm, commitment and musicality shown by our pupils across all extra-curricular activities.

Our Singing Assemblies are a much-loved part of school life, offering a fun, exciting and fully inclusive approach to singing and music. They are known for their high levels of engagement, energy and enthusiasm, with pupils loving the opportunity to come together and sing and perform as one community.

What Makes Our Singing Assemblies Special?

Each week is packed with creativity, laughter and musical joy, including:

• Energetic warm-up games such as:

  • Mr Potter’s Happy Clappy Rhythm Tappy Time

  • Mr Potter’s Wiggly Wordy Wacky Warm-Up Wonderland

  • Mr Potter’s Snorky Talky Snappy Tappy Beat-It Time Challenge

• A wide selection of fun, engaging songs to keep pupils fully involved, including:

  • We Will Rock You

  • That’s What Makes You Beautiful

  • The Wellerman

  • The Old Grand Duke of York (and many more!)

• Body percussion activities that develop rhythm and coordination

• Songs that also help to reinforce learning, such as supporting the practice of times tables

• A dedicated assembly band, adding to the atmosphere and creating a truly festive, concert-like experience

Celebrating Every Voice

To further increase inclusion and pupil voice, we have introduced a new feature to our Singing Assemblies:

• Each week, a different pupil performs a vocal solo as pupils enter and leave the hall

• Pupils rehearse independently in their own time, demonstrating commitment and pride in their performance

We have been truly blown away by the level of interest and enthusiasm for this opportunity – the performance timetable is already fully booked for the academic year, and it is not even Christmas yet!

• Singing Assembly: Every Friday, 10:30–11:00

Our Singing Assemblies are a powerful reflection of our school’s musical culture: joyful, inclusive, ambitious and full of heart.

Meet Our Music Team!

Mr. Potter has been a dedicated music educator for over a decade, bringing with him a wealth of experience in both curriculum music and one-to-one instrumental teaching. As the Music Co-ordinator at Upton Junior School, he plays a key role in shaping the school’s vibrant musical life.

Known for his energy, expertise, and unwavering commitment, Mr. Potter boasts a 100% pass rate in graded music exams. Many of his students have gone on to achieve outstanding results at GCSE level and beyond.

Remarkably, some of his current junior school pupils—who began lessons in Year 3—are already preparing for Grade 5, which is two levels above GCSE standard. His engaging teaching style and dedication to each student’s progress make him a highly valued member of our school community.

This is a fantastic opportunity for pupils to begin their musical journey on the drum kit under expert guidance. However, spaces are limited, so if you would like your child to take part, please complete and return an application form as soon as possible.

Miss Morgan graduated from the University of Southampton with a BA (Hons) in Music, specialising in performance.

She has been teaching in local schools across all age groups, from junior to secondary, for nearly 10 years with great success. An extremely skilled instrumentalist, Miss Morgan has achieved Grade 8 on numerous instruments and currently teaches violin, clarinet, piano, and saxophone. She also leads chamber groups and string ensembles.

Fun facts: During university, she was principal clarinetist of the Symphonic Wind Orchestra and performed in both the Sinfonietta and Symphony Orchestra. She also gained orchestral management experience and had the amazing opportunity to perform with members of the London Sinfonietta.

Miss Morgan was also a keen singer and performed with the Bournemouth Symphony Children’s Choir in concerts, operas, and recordings — and you might still catch her singing around the music block! 🙂

Mrs. Baxter has been a dynamic force at Upton for the past year, bringing energy, passion, and a love of performance to every lesson. She’s loved every moment of working with the students, watching their confidence soar and their talents take centre stage.

A graduate with a National Diploma in Musical Theatre, Mrs. Baxter went on to tour internationally with a renowned jazz band—an experience that brings a real spark of showbiz magic to her teaching.

With over a decade of experience in stage schools, she knows how to inspire young performers to push boundaries, believe in themselves, and shine in the spotlight.

At Upton Junior School, Mrs. Baxter also leads the choir, which is renowned for its exciting and energetic performances that captivate every audience.

In her sessions, students develop vocal range, control, and stage presence—all in a fun, encouraging environment where creativity and confidence thrive.

A graduate of Glamorgan University, Mr M. Potter has been teaching professionally for fifteen years, and has significant industry experience performing live and recording with several bands. 

Tuition is informative, enjoyable, and rewarding. Mr M. Potter’s lessons at Upton are all one to one, so you can be assured your child is getting bespoke tuition tailored around them.

Mr M. Potter has a 100% student pass rate for all guitar, bass and ukulele exams to date, and his guitar teaching company is now a registered exam centre for Trinity Rock & Pop exams. Students can submit their exam digitally - no more having to face a scary examiner behind a desk! Full support for recording and exam submission is included in Mr Potter’s lessons. Instrumental exams are by no means compulsory, but are encouraged.

During his years of teaching, Mr M. Potter has built up a reputation for his commitment to student progress, and finds continued motivation in helping young players build their confidence and unleashing their inner rock star!

Many of Mr M. Potter’s students take their playing to a professional standard, and often study music at higher education level.

Mr M. Potter looks forward to continuing to share his experience and expertise with students at Upton Junior School.

Mr Stockley graduated from Sheffield University with a BA (Hons) in Popular Music and has been teaching and performing ever since. With over 23 years of experience—including nearly 14 years at Upton Junior School—he has taught across a wide range of educational settings, from primary schools through to college and university. He brings a strong commitment to music education and a proven ability to engage and inspire students of all ages and abilities, from their very first lesson through to GCSE and further progression.

Over the years, Mr Stockley has developed a flexible and adaptive teaching style that responds to each student’s individual needs. He understands that no two learners are the same and tailors his approach to suit each student's pace, interests, and learning preferences. Whether students are preparing for graded exams, building sight-reading skills, or simply learning to play their favourite songs for fun, he supports them every step of the way—with a 100% pass rate in guitar and ukulele grades to date.

Mr Stockley teaches both acoustic and electric guitar, with the aim of making learning enjoyable, accessible, and rewarding for all.

His drive to improve student engagement led him to create Level Up!, a series of guitar books for young beginners. Based on a video game concept, the Level Up! books encourage progression through stages, allowing students to earn points and unlock coloured guitar belts (similar to karate belts).

In addition to teaching, Mr Stockley is an active performer. He regularly gigs with Evertide, a multi-award-winning acoustic duo he formed with his wife, performing at weddings and private events across the country.

Music in Action – Sounds, Smiles & Spotlight!

Showcasing the high engagement, strong participation and inclusive musical culture across our school community.