Graduate Drama Assistant
Shiplake College
Oxfordshire
- Expired
- Salary:
- £12,542.50 per annum (actual salary) plus excellent benefits
- Job type:
- Part Time, Fixed Term
- Start date:
- September 2025
- Apply by:
- 9 May 2025
Job overview
25 hours per week – term time plus INSET
Starting September 2025
On-site accommodation may be available
This is an exciting opportunity for a Drama graduate, with a passion for theatre and performing arts, to develop their skills and experience life at a leading independent boarding school. This is a one year contract starting in September 2025, with the possibility that the contract will be renewed for a second year in September 2026.
You will join the College’s thriving, exciting and busy Drama department and provide support for every aspect of the school’s productions; together with assisting the department with their teaching and delivering a varied programme of curricular Drama and co-curricular provision.
Duties and responsibilities will include sourcing, making or hiring costumes; sets and props; advising and organising the sound and lighting design; care and maintenance of sound and lighting equipment; marketing and publicising productions; budget management; reprographics support within the department; and editing and management of videos and video equipment.
The ideal candidate will have excellent organisational skills; the ability to work to strict deadlines; be at ease thinking outside the box; be comfortable working with groups of pupils and be able to offer inspirational and creative ideas for all areas of technical designs for exam performance pieces and productions. You will also have a working knowledge of lighting and sound equipment, Microsoft Office, video editing software and health and safety.
Shiplake College is an independent boarding and day school for around 540 pupils aged 11 to 18. There has been a co-educational Sixth Form since 1998 and in September 2023 girls joined in Year 7, as we look to the future as fully co-educational. Situated in 63 acres of beautiful countryside near Henley-on-Thames, we offer an outstanding education based on small class sizes, excellent facilities and dedicated teaching staff. All teaching staff are expected to contribute to the busy programme of co-curricular activities on offer.
We offer a competitive salary, excellent free lunches, and a contributory pension scheme together with access to our gym and sporting facilities and a beautiful working environment.
Early applications are welcomed, as the College reserves the right to appoint at any stage during the application process.
Closing date: 10am Friday 9 May 2025
Interviews: week commencing 12 May 2025
A candidate pack and an application form can be obtained from
Co-educational boarding and day school for ages 11-18
HMC, The Society of Heads, BSA
Shiplake College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Shiplake College is also committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.
Attached documents
About Shiplake College
Shiplake College is a thriving and relatively young HMC school. It caters for boarding and day pupils aged 11-18. There has been a co-educational Sixth Form since 1998 and since September 2023 girls have joined Year 7 as the College goes fully co-educational. In September 2024 it welcomed a record 540 pupils to the school.
Overlooking the River Thames, two miles upstream of the famous Henley Royal Regatta stretch, pupils enjoy a beautiful and inspiring 63-acre rural site. The College is conveniently located near major air, railway and motorway networks, close to Reading, London and Oxford and just 40 minutes from Heathrow. Full, weekly and flexi-boarding is available from Year 9, with ad hoc ‘overnight stays’ also an option for day pupils.
Every pupil is placed at the heart of Shiplake life and the College’s ethos is underpinned by the three Is – Inclusive, Individual and Inspirational.
Shiplake provides a friendly, supportive and structured environment to bring out the best in each and every pupil. Renowned for outstanding pastoral care and personal development, the College welcomes pupils with wide-ranging skills and talents, who will make the most of the many opportunities offered to them. The College provides an education that is tailored to the individual, achieved through engaging and inspirational teaching, delivered in small classes where the teachers can know and understand each pupil’s method of learning.
Headmaster
Tyrone Howe
Values and Vision
Shiplake College understands the importance of not just an all-round education, but an education that offers specific skills needed in the modern job market to help students progress successfully after leaving. The admissions policy aims to identify potential students with a wide range of talents, to ensure a learning environment that offers the highest chance of success.
Our mixture of boarders and day pupils form a vibrant and busy community, where every day brings fresh challenges and new opportunities. At Shiplake, the passionate teaching and support staff make the energetic and dynamic boarding school a welcoming place in which to work. A rich and inspiringly-taught curriculum creates an environment where personal values and a strong work ethic can develop. This is underpinned by the finest pastoral care, and pupils are encouraged to participate in co-curricular pursuits such as sports, musical ensembles, drama productions or community service, which is as vital for personal development as classroom-based teaching. Taking a holistic approach to education is key to working at Shiplake; supporting our pupils in their endeavours and embracing the lifestyle at this busy and vibrant boarding school is paramount for anyone working here.
Pupils will leave Shiplake College well-shaped socially and academically, thanks to the structured and supportive nature of the school. Promoting Christian values, teachers encourage every pupil to respect their peers by exercising tolerance, compassion and humility.
Working at Shiplake College
As well as providing a fantastic learning and living environment for young people, Shiplake offers an enjoyable, challenging and rewarding working environment.
We strive to recruit the best possible teaching and support staff to drive the College forwards and ensure we continue to provide the best possible rounded education for our pupils.
For all teaching appointments, a willingness to participate in the varied extra-curricular life of a busy boarding and day school is essential. Shiplake has a contributory pension scheme (TPS or alternative option for support staff) and its own salary scale. Accommodation may be available on site and further paid responsibilities may also be available. Excellence in the classroom and an ability to inspire young people are paramount and non-negotiable.
Shiplake College offers a beautiful working environment, supportive colleagues and all staff enjoy a free lunch and evening meal if on duty. In addition, staff are encouraged to make use of the onsite gym facilities, open air swimming (during summer months), and join a variety of staff teams such as football, touch rugby and cricket.
ISI Report
In its ISI Inspection in May 2022, Shiplake College achieved full compliance and the top category of EXCELLENT in both “the quality of the pupils’ academic and other achievements” and “the quality of the pupils’ personal development”.
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