Head of Music

Runnymede College is a private non-denominational British school in Madrid offering a British education to boys and girls of all nationalities from the age of two to eighteen. The education offered follows the British National Curriculum.

Founded as a private school in September 1967, the primary school was inaugurated in 1987, and since 1990, the whole school has been situated in La Moraleja, a residential estate 13 km to the north of Madrid.

Academic levels are high at Runnymede College. In June 2023, 58% of our students achieved A-A* at A level, with 97% of grades being A*-C. This is particularly impressive when compared with the 47% of A*-A grades achieved at independent (private) schools in England this year. In addition, 60% of our pupils gained A*-A grades at IGCSE. Once again, this is a truly excellent achievement when compared with the 47% of A*- A grades at GCSE obtained in the English independent (private) school sector.

In the graduating class of 2023, we have two students who will be studying in Oxford; another will begin her course in Natural Sciences at Cambridge. Other top-ranking UK universities welcoming this year’s graduates include St Andrews, Imperial, UCL, Edinburgh and Bath. The United States has attracted more pupils than ever, with pupils starting their higher education at Columbia, Stanford, NYU, UPenn and Cornell, amongst other excellent colleges.

A number of our students will be staying in Spain, at top-notch places including ICADE, IE and Navarra; others will continue their education elsewhere in Europe in world-leading institutions such as Sciences Po in France, ETH in Zurich, and several excellent universities in The Netherlands, including Eindhoven and Rotterdam. 

Music is taught to all students from Nursery to Year 9 on a weekly basis by one of three classroom teachers. IGCSE and A level Music are optional subjects for students in Years 10 to 13, and classes run each year for these courses. A team of visiting instrumental teachers prepares many candidates each year for examinations with Trinity College London, both in the classical and popular traditions. Performance opportunities are afforded to many of our young musicians in large-scale concerts and also in whole-school events such as assemblies and prize giving ceremonies.

The school is looking to recruit an outstanding Head of Music to join our school for September 2024.

We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and experienced individual, who is passionate about teaching Music to students from Years 5-13 with experience at both IGCSE and A level. Depending on the strengths of individual candidates, teaching responsibilities in the department may be redistributed. Possibility of a whole school leadership role.

The successful candidate will:

• teach Music (Years 5-13), leading the English National Curriculum guidance.
• lead the Prep School choir in two weekly rehearsals.
• take a leading role in musical contributions to assemblies and other whole-school events.

The successful applicant should have:

• a good honours degree in Music
• a PGCE or equivalent teaching qualification to teach classroom Music
• recent experience as a Music teacher in a school in the UK and/or at and international school following the British curriculum
• previous experience of teaching GCSE/IGCSE Music.
• previous experience of teaching A level Music.
• excellent teamwork skills and be willing to collaborate on planning and resourcing
• the ability to modify learning strategies to target the needs of individual students
• high expectations of pupils’ effort and behaviour, and facilitate this with proven classroom management skills
• be organised and able to prioritise to meet deadlines
• be motivated and use initiative to contribute to success of the department
• be a native level or fluent English speaker.
• possess valid references, and have an up to date International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC).
• have a good working knowledge of ICT systems and the application of ICT in the classroom and be prepared to use iPads as a learning tool.

Please complete the TES online application form and attach a copy of your CV and cover letter.

Final date for applications - Friday 31st May 2024

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and first round interviews will take place via Zoom on a rolling basis. The final round interview will be held face-to-face at Runnymede College in Madrid. The School reserves the right to make an appointment before the closing date if a suitable candidate is found. If you have not heard from us within six weeks of submitting your application, please assume you were unsuccessful this time.

We are an equal opportunities employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Hiring decisions are based on skills, experience and attributes required for the role. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons.

Runnymede is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including check with past employers and ACRO Criminal records Office.