Director of Music

Director of Music
September 2021 or January 2022 

Can you inspire our students with a love of Music and support our music scholars to reach the next level? Our dynamic and expanding teaching team needs an experienced and enthusiastic manager to lead on all aspects of music so that music is celebrated as part of the Royal Russell experience throughout the Junior School and Senior School. 

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Royal Russell is an HMC/IAPS co-educational school with over 1000 pupils between the ages of 3 and 18, situated on a beautiful green campus of 110 acres in the Shirley Hills near Croydon, on the doorstep of London. We have over 170 boarding students in the Senior School and are proud of our day and boarding facilities that rank amongst the best in the South of England. Our pupils, parents and staff experience a warm and friendly environment with strong pastoral care for every pupil alongside a comprehensive co-curricular and enrichment programme. We aim to build on this alongside improving academic success to continue to be the family school of choice in South London. In March 2016 the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) judged the school as ‘excellent’ in all areas and in October 2018 we successfully passed a full ISI compliance inspection.

This position arises following the appointment of Philip Millward to a new pastoral role in Leicestershire. The next Director of Music will be a well-qualified and inspiring graduate teacher and an accomplished musician with outstanding subject knowledge, who has a successful track record of teaching music in secondary schools from Year 7 to A level. The successful candidate should also be an experienced leader with the charisma and drive to lead and develop a flourishing music department which aims to enable pupils to attain the highest standards in academic and practical music and share the joy of music making together.  

Academic Music lies at the heart of the school’s curriculum, and has a superb record of results, especially at GCSE. Recently, A level numbers have expanded, and we have also seen significant success with pupils moving on to take up conservatoire places. We are a friendly, warm and nurturing department and we are committed to doing the very best for our students. The school follows the EDUQAS syllabus in Years 10 and 11, and the EdExcel A level syllabus. There is also a small number of pupils who study Music Technology in the Sixth Form. 

This role requires experience and dynamism, teamwork and dedication, and an enthusiasm for the subject with a strong focus on high expectations and excellent teaching. 

We are particularly interested in candidates who have, some of or all the following expertise and experience: 

• Rehearsing and conducting orchestras, bands and choirs of pupils of secondary-school age
• Management and leadership of a large diverse team
• Familiarity with music education across the full age-range of the School (3-18)
• Commitment to, and experience of, using a range of teaching styles and methods, including the use of the Microsoft Office suite and Teams 
• Initiative and drive to develop and expand opportunities for national and inter-national music events or tours (when possible)
• Knowledge of Music Technology and the workings of a recording studio

Royal Russell offers excellent benefits including a competitive salary on our own salary scale which is above SNS and includes allowances for specific pastoral and academic responsibilities. As part of the vibrant community of the historic Royal Russell School, you will work in our beautiful green parkland estate with easy access to transport links. Teachers automatically join the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), or you may opt into an alternative defined contribution pension with free life cover on a promoted salary scale. In addition you will have access to free car parking, free meals, a discount on School fees, and the use of our sporting and gym facilities. Full details of our staff benefits and recruitment procedures can be found on our School recruitment page.

Applications will be considered on receipt and should arrive no later than Noon on Monday 1 February 2021. Initial selection interviews will be held in w/c 8 February 2021. The second stage will be held in School and will depend on the national position on travel during lockdown. If you have not heard from us by Friday 5 February 2021 you should presume that you have not been successful on this occasion.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All appointments are subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (including a check against the Children’s Barred List) and other pre-employment screening including references and medical fitness.