About Us

How the idea came about

• During the academic year 2004/2005 Jeana worked in a local Lincolnshire primary school as a Music Co-ordinator. In that year the Music provision moved from an unsatisfactory grading by OFSTED, to standards well above the national expectations. Jeana was complimented on her expertise and her ability to significantly raise standards in the school. She was advised to develop the Music scheme of work. (which is now called `Interact`)

• To that end Jeana made links with Ilze Bull (Music and Drama teacher  at Walton Girls`  Performing Arts School Grantham). Weekly meetings were organised to observe the delivery of KS3 Music classes. As music teachers they saw a gap in the provision of music education between  the end of the primary and the beginning of the secondary stages.  They devised a scheme to fill this gap for years 5, 6 and the foundation of year 7. One of Jeana’s projects, supported by Walton Girls’ Headteacher  Ros Goulson, was to work  as a Primary Music Consultant training  feeder primary school teachers. It was at this time that the idea for a year 3 and 4 scheme of work began, linking to years 5,6 and 7.

• Cfbt (Educational Trust) and Lincolnshire Music Services (LMS) decided to take the scheme on board, purchasing a license for the scheme to be used in  Lincolnshire schools. Now the scheme is delivered to Lincolnshire schools through ‘Interact’, also a provider partner for CfBT, offering CPD courses, workshops for staff and pupils and software.

• A new cross- curricular interactive whiteboard software, for the EYFS and KS1  called `Interact`, has recently been developed by both Jeana and Ilze. This is also  widely used in several schools and has been praised by OFSTED. The cartoon characters Wesley, Charlie and Sally are hugely popular and  take  children on a musical journey through ICT, Literacy, Numeracy and Science. These characters were first created in 1996 and appeared in Jeana`s guitar tutor books, supporting children to play the classical guitar.

• Jeana and Ilze are thrilled that the packages are so popular in schools and at the same time are helping to raise pupils’ interests and standards in music education. What is so exciting about this interactive approach is that the schemes are cross-curricular and through music children can express what they have learned in other subjects.

• Our software is continually being developed to support the needs of Primary school teachers.

• Earlier this year, Jeana has developed a sister company `Primary Interact` a Music Consultancy business to help support teachers who may be struggling to make music work in their schools.

Biography of ‘Interact’ Directors 

Jeana Hopkins

2010 – To date: 

Director / Consultant of `Interact`and Primary Interact

2009 – 2010:      

Curriculum Music Adviser Lincolnshire and CfBT Music Consultant (Educational Trust)

2008 – 2010:      

Curriculum Music Adviser for Lincolnshire

2006 – 2008:     

Music Co-ordinator at Harlaxton Primary School, Grantham Lincs,

2005 – 2007:     

Primary Music Consultant at Walton Girls Performing Arts Secondary School, Grantham (in 2007 I worked at both  Walton and  Harlaxton Primary Schools)

2003 – 2006:       

Music Co-ordinator at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Grantham. Brought in as a trouble-shooter and  improved the  music programme of the school to achieve an OFSTED grading for music as Very Good in 2004.  (Previously unsatisfactory in 2000)

1988 – 2003:

Music / Guitar teacher at Cliffedale Primary School Grantham. Wrote 3 classical guitar books

Ilze Bull

 2010 to date.

Joint Director of `Interact` – Responsible for creating and developing  imaginative and engaging themes

2000 -2012.

Head of Music / Drama and Acting Performing Arts Director: for  Walton Girls Performing Arts School Grantham Lincolnshire. As a “Specialist Status Performing Arts School” promoted performing  arts across the whole school. Successfully extended performing arts learning curriculum through outreach programmes into primary schools and the wider community.  Set up The Drama dept in the school.

1985 – 2000.

Director of Performing Arts at Sconce Hills High School. Involved in innovative projects to promote performing arts into local feeder primary schools.

1978 – 1985.  Music and Drama teacher (SconceHillsHigh School)Newark,