Notes from School

The school term has ended and in fitting fashion, this will be the final episode of this season of Notes from School. I'm absolutely thrilled to be joined by two members of the legendary vocal group The King’s Singers. I have loved listening to this group since I was a teenager and it's honestly fascinating to hear all about life in the group. I speak to Chris Bruerton and Jules Gregory all about their journeys into the group all the way through to how important singing is for physical and mental health. The musical harmony is literally supported by the emotional harmony between the six singers. Make sure you listen to the end for the quick fire round of questions. Chris and Jules reveal their favourite countries to perform in, ultimate show closers and their favourite tour snacks!

As well as all this, we chat talk about:
👔 Life inside one of the world’s most prestigious a cappella ensembles
🏫 How school music shaped their journeys
🎼 Balancing tradition and innovation in their unique sound
🧠 Music, wellbeing, and mental health on the road
🎵 Why singing still matters—especially in schools today

📣 Find out more about The King’s Singers: https://www.kingssingers.com
https://www.instagram.com/kingssingers/
https://www.facebook.com/kingssingers


#TheKingsSingers #NotesFromSchool #PrimarySchoolBangers #MusicEducation #SingingInSchools

Send a text

~~~

I am on tour all year, across the UK and you can book your tickets at: https://jamesbpartridge.com/

~~~

Follow me on socials at:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/jamesbpartridge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesBPartridgeOfficial/

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@jamesbpartridge

YouTube: http://youtube.com/jamesbpartridge

Send me a message: [email protected]

~~~

Find the podcast on all streaming services and leave a review if you've enjoyed it!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ta8ch0BjnuV6GDgGv7BN2?si=5270e69bbb9a431e

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notes-from-school/id1790674992

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/054bf11f-a134-42c7-9114-f1398cc3fbe8/notes-from-school

Fingers on lips! The digital school assembly of Notes from School this week invites in the internet’s favourite Year 2 teacher and creator of the  podcast Help Me! I’m a Teacher!: the brilliant Mr Firth.

On a very hot school night, I gave Mr Firth a Zoom call which hopefully didn’t trigger too many traumatic memories from the dark days of the online teaching during lockdown. During our nearly hour-long chat we talk about surviving the end of term with humour intact, juggling classroom chaos with content creation and getting the correct rhythm of a classic school assembly banger!

Expect laughs, honesty, and a heartfelt chat about life on the front line of primary teaching in 2025. Whether you’re a teacher, ex-teacher, or just someone who wants to know how you can balance being a full time Year 2 teacher and a social media sensation, this is a must listen!

Follow Mr Firth online here:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mister_firth/

🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mister_firth

❎ X/Twitter: https://x.com/mister_firth

If you have enjoyed the episode please feel free to leave a comment or review. All questions and/or requests can be sent to [email protected].

Send a text

~~~

I am on tour all year, across the UK and you can book your tickets at: https://jamesbpartridge.com/

~~~

Follow me on socials at:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/jamesbpartridge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesBPartridgeOfficial/

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@jamesbpartridge

YouTube: http://youtube.com/jamesbpartridge

Send me a message: [email protected]

~~~

Find the podcast on all streaming services and leave a review if you've enjoyed it!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ta8ch0BjnuV6GDgGv7BN2?si=5270e69bbb9a431e

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notes-from-school/id1790674992

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/054bf11f-a134-42c7-9114-f1398cc3fbe8/notes-from-school

In this episode of Notes from School, I meet the fantastic Sarah Jeffery. She is a professional recorder player, professor at Royal College of Music and the creator behind the wildly popular YouTube channel Team Recorder. From when I started this podcast, I really wanted to do an episode about the iconic primary school instrument and how it does in fact have a fascinating life beyond those early school days!

During our chat we discuss:
 👉 How Sarah is changing the way the world sees (and hears!) the recorder
 👉 Life as a professional musician and content creator
 👉 School music memories, recorder myths, and moments of pure musical joy
 👉 Her favourite videos, behind-the-scenes chaos, and advice for aspiring players

Whether you can crack out a masterful rendition of Three Blind Mice or just simply curious about the recorder, Sarah gives us an inspiring look at one of music’s most misunderstood instruments.

Follow Sarah online here:

🔗 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Team_Recorder

🌐 Website: https://www.sarahjeffery.com

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/team_recorder/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahTeamRecorder/

If you have enjoyed the episode please feel free to leave a comment or review. All questions and/or requests can be sent to [email protected].

Send a text

~~~

I am on tour all year, across the UK and you can book your tickets at: https://jamesbpartridge.com/

~~~

Follow me on socials at:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/jamesbpartridge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesBPartridgeOfficial/

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@jamesbpartridge

YouTube: http://youtube.com/jamesbpartridge

Send me a message: [email protected]

~~~

Find the podcast on all streaming services and leave a review if you've enjoyed it!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ta8ch0BjnuV6GDgGv7BN2?si=5270e69bbb9a431e

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notes-from-school/id1790674992

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/054bf11f-a134-42c7-9114-f1398cc3fbe8/notes-from-school

After a week’s recovery, Notes from School is back with the return of Dan Partridge to catch up on the madness of the Glastonbury experience! If you’re missing the festival then hopefully you’ll enjoy this catch-up. If you’re sick of hearing about it then this will be the last you hear me chat about it 🤣 

If you have enjoyed the episode please feel free to leave a comment or review. All questions and/or requests can be sent to [email protected].

Follow Dan on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/danpartridge_/

See him on tour: https://kinkybootstour.com/

Send a text

~~~

I am on tour all year, across the UK and you can book your tickets at: https://jamesbpartridge.com/

~~~

Follow me on socials at:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/jamesbpartridge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesBPartridgeOfficial/

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@jamesbpartridge

YouTube: http://youtube.com/jamesbpartridge

Send me a message: [email protected]

~~~

Find the podcast on all streaming services and leave a review if you've enjoyed it!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ta8ch0BjnuV6GDgGv7BN2?si=5270e69bbb9a431e

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notes-from-school/id1790674992

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/054bf11f-a134-42c7-9114-f1398cc3fbe8/notes-from-school

This week I have invited my brother, and musical theatre star, Dan Partridge onto the Notes from School podcast. We chat about everything Glastonbury Festival, from our favourite acts and areas to the experience of performing there in 2024. I try not to make Dan to sad as he is on tour this summer and can’t make the festival…

Apologies also for the lack of episode last week. I recorded a whole special episode tribute to Brian Wilson passing and the Beach Boys but I dropped my hard drive and lost all the files! Maybe I will do it again at some point. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this and if you’re going to the festival…see you on the farm!

If you have enjoyed the episode please feel free to leave a comment or review. All questions and/or requests can be sent to [email protected].

Follow Dan on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/danpartridge_/

See him on tour: https://kinkybootstour.com/

Send a text

~~~

I am on tour all year, across the UK and you can book your tickets at: https://jamesbpartridge.com/

~~~

Follow me on socials at:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/jamesbpartridge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesBPartridgeOfficial/

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@jamesbpartridge

YouTube: http://youtube.com/jamesbpartridge

Send me a message: [email protected]

~~~

Find the podcast on all streaming services and leave a review if you've enjoyed it!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ta8ch0BjnuV6GDgGv7BN2?si=5270e69bbb9a431e

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notes-from-school/id1790674992

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/054bf11f-a134-42c7-9114-f1398cc3fbe8/notes-from-school

What do "Ring a Ring o’ Roses" and "Three Blind Mice" have in common? They're MUCH darker than you remember. In this episode of Notes from School, I take a look at the surprising (and occasionally horrifying) history behind classic nursery rhymes. Expect plague, beheadings, and wool-based tax policy, the perfect themes to get kids singing!

If you have enjoyed the episode please feel free to leave a comment or review. Timestamps below if you want to skip to any bit in particular. All questions and/or requests can be sent to [email protected].

 Timestamps:
 0:00: Introduction to the episode

1:36: Weekly Catch up

6:44: Nostalgic memory on the emails 

10:12: My nursery rhymes book collection

13:54: RING A RING O' ROSES 

16:56: MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY 

18:36: THREE BLIND MICE 

20:24: BAA, BAA, BLACK SHEEP 

23:28: HUMPTY DUMPTY 

24:40: JACK AND JILL 

26:46: ORANGES AND LEMONS

28:51: GOOSEY GOOSEY GANDER 

32:48: ROCK-A-BYE BABY 

33:50: LONDON BRIDGE IS FALLING DOWN 

31:10: Round up and goodbyes

Send a text

~~~

I am on tour all year, across the UK and you can book your tickets at: https://jamesbpartridge.com/

~~~

Follow me on socials at:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/jamesbpartridge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesBPartridgeOfficial/

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@jamesbpartridge

YouTube: http://youtube.com/jamesbpartridge

Send me a message: [email protected]

~~~

Find the podcast on all streaming services and leave a review if you've enjoyed it!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ta8ch0BjnuV6GDgGv7BN2?si=5270e69bbb9a431e

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notes-from-school/id1790674992

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/054bf11f-a134-42c7-9114-f1398cc3fbe8/notes-from-school

We’ve hit the 20th episode milestone! To celebrate, this week is a bumper crop of song requests, as well as a short Q&A section. If you have any song requests for future episodes or suggestions for topics to cover then feel free to comment or write in. Hope you enjoy the songs today!

If you have enjoyed the episode please feel free to leave a comment or review. Timestamps below if you want to skip to any bit in particular. All questions and/or requests can be sent to [email protected].

Timestamps:
0:00: Introduction to the episode

1:38: Weekly Catch up

3:08: Glastonbury times and show news

6:36: Lord of the Rings messages and comments

11:55: Songs for anxious adults message

13:48: Q&A - Are Panda Pops “woke”?

16:13: Q&A - How is the book project going?

17:10: Q&A - Favourite tour venue?

18:17: Mega song request special

19:15: O Jesus I have promised

20:16: Water of Life

21:46: You Raise Me Up

23:05: BINGO

24:20: The Bell of Creation

25:05: Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs

27:05: He Who Would Valiant Be

27:55: The School Rules Song

28:46: Football Crazy

29:59: Jimmy Eat World - The Middle

31:10: Round up and goodbyes

Send a text

~~~

I am on tour all year, across the UK and you can book your tickets at: https://jamesbpartridge.com/

~~~

Follow me on socials at:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/jamesbpartridge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesBPartridgeOfficial/

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@jamesbpartridge

YouTube: http://youtube.com/jamesbpartridge

Send me a message: [email protected]

~~~

Find the podcast on all streaming services and leave a review if you've enjoyed it!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ta8ch0BjnuV6GDgGv7BN2?si=5270e69bbb9a431e

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notes-from-school/id1790674992

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/054bf11f-a134-42c7-9114-f1398cc3fbe8/notes-from-school

What do Hobbits hum and Elves sing? Join me for this week’s assembly as Tolkien’s poetry meets Donald Swann’s piano in a musical walk through Middle-Earth. In this week’s episode of Notes from School, I explore “The Road Goes Ever On”, the enchanting song cycle that sets Tolkien’s poetry to music. Forget the classic LOTR soundtrack briefly and discover how Tolkien would have actually HEARD these songs. I’ll sing you some of each tune from the song cycle and you’ll hear how Donald Swann gave voice to the songs of the Shire, Lothlórien, and beyond. 

If you have enjoyed the episode please feel free to leave a comment or review. Timestamps below if you want to skip to any bit in particular. All questions and/or requests can be sent to [email protected].

Send a text

~~~

I am on tour all year, across the UK and you can book your tickets at: https://jamesbpartridge.com/

~~~

Follow me on socials at:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/jamesbpartridge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesBPartridgeOfficial/

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@jamesbpartridge

YouTube: http://youtube.com/jamesbpartridge

Send me a message: [email protected]

~~~

Find the podcast on all streaming services and leave a review if you've enjoyed it!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ta8ch0BjnuV6GDgGv7BN2?si=5270e69bbb9a431e

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notes-from-school/id1790674992

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/054bf11f-a134-42c7-9114-f1398cc3fbe8/notes-from-school

Following on from last week’s episode, today’s assembly is focussed on the classic tune: I Vow to Thee, My Country. I’ll be exploring the history and tension behind one of Britain’s most emotional hymns. 

If you have enjoyed the episode please feel free to leave a comment or review. Timestamps below if you want to skip to any bit in particular. All questions and/or requests can be sent to [email protected].

Timestamps:
0:00: Intro to the topics today

2:20: Catch up

5:19: Obscure question on email

7:00: I Vow to Thee intro

11:30: How did this hymn come about?

12:35: Who wrote the words?

15:31: Poem reading plus extra verse!

18:08: History of lyricist Cecil Spring Rice

21:06: Link to Gustav Holst

25:10: Second tune by Ralph Vaughan Williams “Abinger”

29:00: The controversial patriotism of I Vow to Thee

35:30: Links between Holst and Parry

36:15: Rugby anthem and World in Union

38:30: I Vow to Thee, My Country SINGALONG

41:20: Teaser for next week’s episode

Send a text

~~~

I am on tour all year, across the UK and you can book your tickets at: https://jamesbpartridge.com/

~~~

Follow me on socials at:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/jamesbpartridge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesBPartridgeOfficial/

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@jamesbpartridge

YouTube: http://youtube.com/jamesbpartridge

Send me a message: [email protected]

~~~

Find the podcast on all streaming services and leave a review if you've enjoyed it!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ta8ch0BjnuV6GDgGv7BN2?si=5270e69bbb9a431e

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notes-from-school/id1790674992

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/054bf11f-a134-42c7-9114-f1398cc3fbe8/notes-from-school

Jerusalem. It has been one of the most recognisable and iconic English tunes of the past 100 years. But is it as universally loved as we remember and can it even be called a hymn? How has a story about Jesus taking a road trip to Glastonbury led to a First World War patriotic anthem, through the lens of a Georgian revolutionary poet.

In this week’s assembly, I do a deep dive into Jerusalem, talking about its history, the association with the WI and even how it can signify the English musically. I really hope you enjoy this episode and I would love to know any memories of singing it plus any comments or thoughts about what I have to say!

If you have enjoyed the episode please feel free to leave a comment or review. Timestamps below if you want to skip to any bit in particular. All questions and/or requests can be sent to [email protected].

Timestamps:
0:00: Jerusalem poem reading

0:50: Catch up

4:10: Education and positive music news

7:20: Intro to Jerusalem 

10:03: A vicar’s PM about Jerusalem

11:58: How did the hymn Jerusalem come about? William Blake, Robert Bridges and Hubert Parry

17:23: What makes the Jerusalem introduction so stirring?

22:02: Why Jerusalem is musically English

25:14: How the hymn became the anthem of the Women’s Institute 

27:16: Becoming used by political movements

29:24: Is Jerusalem even a hymn?

33:16: Memories from social media

37:21: Jerusalem singalong

38:50: Final thoughts and wrap up

Send a text

~~~

I am on tour all year, across the UK and you can book your tickets at: https://jamesbpartridge.com/

~~~

Follow me on socials at:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/jamesbpartridge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesBPartridgeOfficial/

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@jamesbpartridge

YouTube: http://youtube.com/jamesbpartridge

Send me a message: [email protected]

~~~

Find the podcast on all streaming services and leave a review if you've enjoyed it!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ta8ch0BjnuV6GDgGv7BN2?si=5270e69bbb9a431e

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notes-from-school/id1790674992

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/054bf11f-a134-42c7-9114-f1398cc3fbe8/notes-from-school