Music at Elmlea Junior School

Music is at the heart of school life with all children in Years 3 – 6 receiving a music lesson each week as well as participating in singing assemblies. We inspire pupils to develop a love and appreciation of music by giving them the opportunities to sing, listen to, explore, create and perform music. Our curriculum ensures that pupils:

  • Have an opportunity to play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing different musical instruments (including percussion, recorder, djembe drums and ukelele).
  • Improvise, compose, notate and perform their own music for a range of different purposes.
  • Listen, perform and engage with different styles, traditions and genres of music – including its links to dance, literacy and art.
  • Use and understand staff and other musical notations.
  • Develop an understanding of the history of music
  • Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory.

Music is held in high esteem at Elmlea and, as such, our wide music curriculum is complemented by a team of peripatetic instrumental and vocal teachers. Many children go on to achieve great success in examinations as they develop their musical skill and join the school or local ensembles. Group or individual music lessons are offered to all children (at an additional cost). For those who are eligible for free school meals and pupil premium some financial support maybe available, please contact the junior school office for further information.

Instrumental Lessons
Elmlea is a Bristol Music School and we work closely with Bristol Beacon to offer individual and group instrumental and singing lessons, from Year 3. We currently offer tuition in piano/keyboard, violin, cello, flute, clarinet, trumpet, cornet, guitar, singing and kit drums. Uptake is very high with over 100 children regularly receiving lessons.

Registration for Instrumental & Vocal Lessons:
To register for lessons for the first time, please click on the link below:

Bristol Beacon lessons

Assemblies and workshops are offered in Year 2 to introduce children to the instruments.

Ensembles, Performances and Opportunities
We have a wide range of extra-curricular music activities that children can participate in, including Infant Choir, Junior Choir, Boys Choir, Orchestra, Guitar, Ukulele and String Orchestra. We take part in the Bristol Beacon summer and winter concerts as well as performances to parents in school. We have also been fortunate, through our work with Bristol Beacon, to participate in orchestra workshops in collaboration with students from the University of Bristol. All children are involved in a school musical once a year and there is great support for this within the whole school community. The whole of year 4 take part in Young Voices, an incredible opportunity to sing in a massed choir of young children at Birmingham Arena. Each year a small selection of Year 6 pupils may apply for music scholarships at independent schools, such is the enthusiasm for music at Elmlea.