Head of Music

Katherine Warington School, Harpenden, AL5 5FH

28 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  April or September 2026

• Closing date

  7 January 2026 at 8am

• Date listed

  10 December 2025

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Subject: Music
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £34,398.00 - £52,490.00 Annually (Actual) TLR 2a - £3,527

Head of Music job summary

Katherine Warington School is seeking to appoint an exceptional Head of Music to lead and develop our thriving Music provision. This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious, committed and creative teacher to shape the future of Music within a growing and dynamic Performing Arts Faculty.

We are looking for a subject leader who is passionate about high-quality Music education, able to inspire students of all abilities, and eager to contribute to the wider cultural life of the school.

The main purpose of this role is to ensure high standards of achievement in the subject and to lead teaching and learning within the curriculum so that students make appropriate progress for their stage. To carry out this role effectively you need to be aware of, and support, the vision, aims and ethos of the school, enabling every student to make outstanding progress whatever their starting point.

Key accountabilities:

• Lead the continued evolution of Music across KS3 and KS4 with the aim of ensuring that standards of attainment meet the school’s high expectations

• Lead the introduction, development and building of KS5 Music

• Work closely with and support the Head of Performing Arts in driving faculty-wide improvement.

• Oversee and lead the Music extra-curricular programme, including ensembles, choirs, bands and concerts (with support from the Head of Faculty and wider Performing Arts team).

• Coordinate the day-to-day organisation of the peripatetic timetable, ensuring smooth scheduling, communication and rooming. (The Head of Performing Arts manages the peri staffing, finance and contractual elements.)

• Ensure high expectations of progress, behaviour and engagement in Music lessons.

• Use assessment and data intelligently to plan for progress and raise student achievement in line with school policy and practice

• Promote a positive Music culture across the school and contribute to whole-school events, productions and performances.

• Develop innovative approaches to the curriculum in order to ensure appropriate access and achievement for all learners

• Monitor the work of the department, holding members of your team to account on their roles and responsibilities

• Prepare the departmental development plans to reflect departmental priorities and school’s development plan

• Lead curriculum development within the subject and act as a source of advice, guidance and authority on the subject within the school

• Establish and maintain a climate within the subject which is inclusive, safe and secure, and where positive behaviour and regular attendance are learned and taught by all

• Devise and implement schemes of work for all subject courses in each Key Stage, ensuring that these support good learning and student progress

• Manage informal and formal assessment within the subject, implementing school assessment policies and leading the use of assessment information to enable teachers to set appropriate progress targets and review and evaluate student progress

• Contribute to the selection for appointment and professional development of teachers and support staff including the induction and assessment of new and newly qualified teachers to work in the department. Through excellent practice, well developed teaching skills and curriculum knowledge, provide coaching and mentoring support for colleagues in the subject area

• Manage the budget allocation for the subject area, ensuring that resources are deployed to support student progress

• Ensure that each external examination syllabus is appropriate, and that the specification(s) are known and understood by all staff teaching the course and to liaise with the exams officer as necessary

The key accountabilities of the post outline the main areas of the role; they are not a comprehensive list of tasks to be undertaken.

Professional Standards

1. Support the aim of the school and endeavour to promote our development as a learning community

2. Set a good example to students in terms of appropriate dress, standards of punctuality and attendance

3. Promote the aims of the school by attendance at and participation in events such as open evenings and options evenings

4. Take responsibility for your professional development and participate in staff training when provided

5. Participate in school and department evaluation and programme for monitoring teaching and learning

6. Undertake duties as prescribed within school policies

7. Ensure that all deadlines are met as published in the school calendar

8. Be proactive and take responsibility for matters relating to Health and Safety

9. To line manage your department including recruitment; induction; training and development; 1-1 meetings; appraisal meetings; absence management; performance and conduct, liaising with HR as necessary

Review of duties

The specific duties attached to any teacher are subject to annual review and may, after discussion with the Headteacher, be changed.

We Can Offer:

• A forward-thinking, supportive Performing Arts Faculty with a clear improvement plan and strong leadership structure.

• A growing school with passionate students who value the arts.

• Excellent facilities including specialist music room fitted with iMacs with Logic Pro, practice rooms and a main hall/ theatre space

• 5 Peripatetic music Staff with over 60 students currently in Peripatetic music lessons

• Opportunities to lead concerts, performances and collaborate on school productions with the Performing Arts Team.

• A culture of ongoing professional development and leadership growth.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL

DESIRABLE

Education & Qualifications

Education to degree or equivalent level + QTS

A higher degree in a relevant discipline

GCSE Maths and English (Grade A-C) or equivalent

Evidence of continuing and recent professional development

Advanced knowledge of National Curriculum and reformed GCSE requirements

Experience of leading with successful outcomes in attainment and student progress

ICT skills that reflect the impact of technology on modern classrooms

Completion of Middle Leadership training or other leadership qualification Teaching

Is an excellent classroom practitioner who can model high-quality teaching.

Ability to understand and demonstrate effective

Has strong subject knowledge and a passion for Music education.

Good knowledge and understanding of the range of needs experienced by young people

Ability to use educational data and strategic information to raise student attainment

Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues

Leadership & Management

Positive attitude towards change; innovative and self-reflective. Is enthusiastic, proactive and committed to supporting the development of the Performing Arts Faculty.

Experience of leading, managing and developing a team

Is highly organised and able to manage multiple projects and deadlines. To complete tasks efficiently on time and to work with detail

Experience of delivering presentations and training colleagues

Can lead colleagues with clarity, compassion and ambition.

Experience of communicating effectively to a variety of audiences, both orally and in writing, with the ability to communicate logically, concisely and persuasively

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and can build positive relationships with staff, students and parents.

Experience of negotiating and influencing others

Experience of building and maintaining effective relationships

Ability to chair meetings effectively and delegate

Resilient when faced with difficult situations

Recent experience of middle leadership

Ability to set clear expectations, to demand high standards and to hold others to account

Additional Requirements

Commitment to continuous improvement

Commitment to meeting the needs of all students

Ability and willingness to work flexibly to meet school needs

Able to work independently and as part of a team

Approachable and sensitive to the needs of others

Can confidently lead extra-curricular ensembles and performance opportunities. Willingness to take part in extracurricular activities, including trips and visits, and to make a significant contribution to the wider life of the school

Has experience (or the potential) to build a high-quality curriculum and assessment structure.

Excellent attendance and punctuality

Professional Dress

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Katherine Warington School

• School type: Free School, ages 11 to 19
• Education phase: Secondary
• School size: 1017 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 19
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Katherine Warington School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/katherine-warington-school

Katherine Warington School is a new comprehensive, co‐educational and non‐denominational academic secondary school (opened September 19) with 750 students currently (180 in each of years 7, 8, 9 and 10 – these year groups are already oversubscribed). The school will add a
further 180 students in each subsequent year and then open a 250 strong Sixth Form. By 2025 we will have grown to our capacity of 1,150 students. The school was established through the partnership of the Harpenden Secondary Schools Trust, which includes the three outstanding
schools in Harpenden: Roundwood Park, St George’s and Sir John Lawes and additional partners: the University of Hertfordshire and Rothamsted Research Centre (a world leading non‐profit agricultural science research centre).

Further details about the school, including our prospectus and virtual tour, can be found on our website: www.kwschool.co.uk

School location

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