You can change whether or not you’re notified about text messages you receive, and how the notifications appear or sound. For example, you can turn off message notifications so you aren’t distracted by notification sounds when you’re in class or other quiet settings, or assign a special sound for certain contacts so you know when you get a message from them.
You can temporarily stop notifications for all apps by turning on Do Not Disturb (or another block a specific person or number or Turn read receipts on or off in Messages on iPad