Director of Music

All School staff are expected to:

1. Work towards and support the School vision and the current School objectives outlined in the School Development Plan;
2. Support and adhere to School Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies.
3. Regularly review own practice, set personal development targets and take responsibility for own continuous professional development;
4. Work within the Schools Health and Safety policy to ensure a safe working environment for staff, pupils and visitors;
5. Work within the Equal Opportunities Policy to promote equality of opportunity for all pupils and staff, both current and prospective;
6. Maintain high professional standards of attendance, punctuality, appearance, conduct and positive, courteous relations with pupils, parents and colleagues;
7. Engage actively in the performance review process;
8. Adhere to policies as set out in the Staff Handbook and Teacher Standards and Regulations;
9. Undertake other reasonable duties related to the job purpose required from time to time;
10. Contribute to the School’s programme of extra-curricular activities.
11. Support and contribute to the School’s boarding ethos.

Job Title: Director of Music

Curriculum:

Music is taught at all levels and GCSE and A Level are offered in the Senior School and plays a significant role in all parts of the school. Our musicians are incredibly supportive of each other and the sense of community is strong across year groups. From a curriculum perspective, specialist music lessons are delivered from Year 3 onwards. The early focus is on internalising pitch and rhythm, while graphical representations of music build an understanding of other musical elements through listening, composing, performing and singing. In Prep, formal aspects of style are introduced through the study of different styles and periods whilst developing an understanding of notation, the orchestra and keyboard skills and performance opportunities are available through the Winter Concert (Years 5-9) and our informal Young Performers Platform. In Senior School, Music is taught to all pupils in Years 7-9 and is a popular option for GCSE and A Level study. We follow the WJEC Eduqas syllabus at GCSE and A Level. A significant number have chosen to study Music at universities and conservatoires. Music is a key contributor to the co-curricular life of the school. Many of our singers and instrumentalists perform with regional choirs and musical theatre groups. Our ensembles perform regularly in school and beyond, and we aim to cater for all music tastes and abilities. There are regular overseas tours (Budapest, Lake Garda and Salzburg), regular opportunities to perform in Malvern Priory and at events held within the town as well as participation in larger events such as Mass in Blue at Worcester Cathedral. The school puts on a large production each year and a biennial musical, most recently Chicago. Forthcoming performances include Six and a Spring Concert. The School holds the Gold Artsmark and Music is a key contributor to this award.

The Role:

The Director of Music will have genuine passion and enthusiasm for, and commitment to, Music and the Expressive Arts. This is a key appointment that will help to shape the School’s wider curriculum offer: the successful candidate will have significant responsibilities in leading the School’s Music provision to ensure excellent opportunities and support for every pupil’s enjoyment, development and success in music.

The Director of Music will develop a strategic vision for participation and performance in music that challenges each pupil to achieve their personal best and to find fulfilment in music, whether through formal performance or recreational level. They will be an inspiring role model to pupils who believes and can demonstrate that with excellent teaching and relevant support, all girls can go beyond any limits they may place on themselves.

We require someone who can provide inspirational and innovative leadership to an energetic and committed department and who has clear ideas about developing school music. Excellent organisational, management and interpersonal skills are essential as is the ability to build effective relationships and inspire confidence with pupils across the school, their parents, the department and the wider local community to be effective in role.

They should have a strong track record in teaching Music curriculum up to and including A level and will lead by example. They will offer their own contribution to the Co-curricular Music programme with a high level of expertise in at least one main instrument alongside the ability to conduct choral and orchestral groups.

The Director of Music is accountable to the Head via the Deputy Head Academic and Head of Expressive Arts, line managing the Music Administrator and contracted Visiting Music Teachers. They will have a reduced teaching timetable and will direct a department currently comprising academic staff and a team of Visiting Music Teachers.

Key responsibilities, alongside those of all Heads of Department include:

• overseeing/managing all aspects of Music in the Senior School and Prep Department to ensure continuity throughout the age range, consistency in the quality of provision and performance preparation, and development of performance and musical skills through a broad range of opportunities whether ensemble based or individual;
• line-managing all members of the department and developing their expertise and skills in providing high quality teaching and learning in Music at all levels;
• developing and managing an innovative and balanced Music programme which includes regular evaluation of pupil progress to help inform teaching and learning, useful pupil feedback both formal and informal, and effective communication with parents;
• working with the Marketing Manager and the Outreach Coordinator to support the development and promotion of positive community links with feeder Prep and local primary schools, sharing best practice and helping to organise quality outreach activities and events;
• working with the Marketing and Admissions Department to raise awareness of the School’s musical achievements and successes, and to communicate practical examination/competition results regularly to maintain the wider profile of the department;
• ensuring that up to date policies and effective resource allocation is in place and shared within the department to optimise opportunities for all pupils to enjoy Music;
• working with other Heads of Department to promote cross-curricular links and whole-school thinking on effective teaching and learning practice;
• supporting the School Leadership Team in recruiting, developing, appraising and retaining high quality staff through effective CPD and INSET programmes;
• encouraging non-specialist Music staff to support and contribute to the Co-curricular Music programme of the School;
• overseeing a co-ordinated concert and recital programme, working with the Senior Deputy Head appropriate to the needs and levels of ensembles/year groups

Please view remaining responsibilities on the Job Description attached.

• 15 Avenue Road, Malvern
• Worcestershire
• WR14 3BA
• United Kingdom

Malvern St James Girls’ School is set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at the foot of the Malvern Hills and is a leading independent boarding and day school for girls aged 3-18. Our values today reflect those of our founding schools, set up in the nineteenth century by pioneering proponents of women’s education. In this inspirational setting, MSJ continues a fine heritage of academic rigour, outstanding enrichment and leadership opportunities, and preparing girls for rewarding careers and lives beyond school.

MSJ is an exceptional place for learning and living. Every girl matters to us, and our size (at around 450 pupils) means that we can offer an individually tailored education. Our focus is on inspiring teaching to deliver excellent academic results; and equally on encouraging intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, considered risk-taking and collaboration that universities and employers will value. Our enrichment programme is as long as it is broad, and has something to fire the imagination of every individual: clubs for budding engineers and scientists, extra-curricular languages, drama, music, Leiths, journalism, photography, sport of every kind, Young Enterprise, Debating and Model United Nations … to name but a few.

Life at MSJ is underpinned by first class pastoral support which makes us a happy and friendly community, relaxed yet purposeful, with a real sense of family. When girls reach the end of their time here, they are thoroughly prepared to embrace life’s challenges. The diverse list of graduate courses at the most prestigious institutions and the competitive career paths that girls go on to is testament to MSJ’s culture of ambition and achievement. Our alumnae network helps our community to forge valuable links for life.

As a school we have a roughly equal number of day girls and boarders, allowing us to offer the best of both worlds and a very flexible boarding programme. We have full, weekly and flexi boarding options, designed to meet the needs of modern family lives. Our position in the town of Great Malvern, situated in the heart of England, means we benefit from excellent transport links and cultural opportunities all around the UK, including a direct train service from London.

Our girls work hard but have fun on the way, making lifelong friends and memories. Please do come and see for yourselves what makes MSJ tick and meet our happy, poised and confident girls and young women, who are free to be themselves and find the things which will instigate a life-long passion for learning.