Friday Afternoons: Five Nations

Each year, Britten Pears Arts commissions a brand-new collection of songs for schools to learn and perform. This year’s theme, Five Nations, brings together five original songs co-created with primary schools across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland.

Renowned composers Jessie Grimes, Raphael Clarkson and Jon Hargreaves worked closely with students to write songs inspired by local stories, heritage and traditions. The result is a rich and varied collection that celebrates the unique voices of children from across the British and Irish Isles.

Where the stories were created

This map shows the geographical locations of each of the primary schools involved in writing the new songs.

About the new songs

Jessie Grimes collaborated with:

•  Lindsay Road National School in Dublin, where pupils created a song about about St Patrick’s Day
• St Malachy’s Primary School in Belfast, where children wrote about the Titanic

Raphael Clarkson worked with:

• Windwhistle Primary School in Weston-Super-Mare, where pupils wrote Song of the Sea
• Ysgol Pontffranc in Franksbridge, Wales, where children co-created Our Cymru, which includes lines in Welsh

Jon Hargreaves partnered with:

•  Culross Primary School in Dunfermline, Scotland, where pupils crafted The Witches, The Whale and The Blacksmith’s Tale, inspired by local folklore

To listen to the full collection, visit the 2025 Collection Playlist where you can stream each performance track. You can also create a free account to download learning resources for use in your classroom or choir.

A word from the team

“We’re so excited to share the release of these new songs. This was an ambitious project but knowing that children from all across the British and Irish Isles have contributed to this new set of Friday Afternoons songs makes it truly special.

We hope this release helps even more schools discover Friday Afternoons as a free and inspiring resource; one that gets children singing, songwriting, and finding their own musical voices.”

Hattie Coupe, Programme Manager (Children, Families and Young People)

Get involved: The 2026 Sing-Along

If your school or choir would like to take part in the Friday Afternoons Sing-Along (Digital Concert), registration is now open.

Digital Concert available from: Friday 6 February 2026

Register for free: Friday Afternoons 5 Nations Sing-Along – Norfolk & Suffolk Music Hub