Teacher of Music

Swanshurst is a large, outstanding school for girls aged 11-19 years. We offer excellent support and CPD for staff at all stages of their career. Ofsted (May 2024) described our school to be “an exceptional place for pupils to learn”. They described the curriculum as “exemplary” and one which "explodes into life in the classroom". In relation to staff wellbeing, they noted that “The school is conscious of staff workload and well-being and is committed to achieving excellence in a sustainable way”. We are exceptionally proud to have been judged ‘Outstanding’ in two consecutive inspections.

The school is part of the newly formed West Midlands Academy Trust (WMAT) which opened in January 2025. As one of the three founding members, the school has been integral to forming the Trust’s mission:

·       Relentless focus upon delivering an excellent Quality of Education, resulting in strong progress and attainment for all groups of pupils.

·       Emphasis upon personal development and well-being for staff and pupils.

We are looking to appoint a Teacher of Music who is passionate about improving the aspirations and outcomes of our students.  The Music and Performing Arts Department at Swanshurst School gives students many opportunities to develop their musical and performance skills. The department has supported exciting productions like Matilda the Musical and We Will Rock You and is looking forward to this year’s performance, Mary Poppins. We teach music at Key Stage 3 and GCSE, covering performance, composition, and music technology. We have a complete Apple iMac suite in which students throughout all years learn how to compose on Logic Pro X using MIDI keyboards. Students also learn how to perform on a variety of instruments such as piano and ukulele in Year 7 along with world music instruments in year 8 helping them build key musical skills. In Key Stage 4 we study the Edexcel GCSE specification where students are required to study 8 set works, compose and perform.

We also offer peripatetic lessons, where students can receive specialist tuition in a variety of instruments such as vocals, strings, guitar, drums, and woodwind. With a mix of creativity and technology, we create a fun and engaging space for all students.

This post is suitable for ECTs.

The successful candidate will be:

• Committed to providing outstanding support for students.
• Ambitious and driven to make a difference to every child at Swanshurst.

WMAT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and expects all staff­ to share this commitment. Necessary safeguarding checks will be undertaken.

The amendments to the Rehabilitation of O­ffenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) provides that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’. This means that they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account.