14 days remaining to apply

  • Job start date

    1 January 2026

  • Closing date

    6 October 2025 at 9am

  • Date listed

    22 September 2025

Job details

Job role

Visa sponsorship

Visas cannot be sponsored

Key stage

Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5

Subject

Drama

Working pattern

Full time: Monday to Friday 32.5 hours per week

Contract type

Permanent

Pay scale

M1 to UPS3

What skills and experience we're looking for

The Governors of this exceptional Grammar School wish to appoint a well-qualified and enthusiastic Teacher of Drama for January 2026. This is a full-time, permanent post. The ability to teach Drama at both GCSE and A-level is essential. A strong degree in Drama, Theatre Studies or a related discipline is sought.

The Drama department at WKGS is a creative and dynamic team, committed to fostering a love of performance and theatre-making within our student body. The successful candidate will be dedicated to delivering high-quality teaching and learning while contributing to the department’s extensive extracurricular provision. This includes whole-school productions, theatre visits, workshops with professional practitioners, and opportunities to engage with local and national festivals.

We are seeking an individual who is passionate about Drama and committed to developing students’ creativity, confidence, and collaborative skills. The ability to bring innovative teaching strategies, strong subject knowledge, and a flair for engaging students in performance is highly desirable. The successful candidate will benefit from excellent performance facilities, a collaborative team, and motivated students who embrace the creative arts.

This post would be equally well suited to an experienced practitioner looking for a new challenge or an Early Career Teacher (ECT), for whom we offer extensive support, mentorship, and development opportunities. We are committed to professional growth and provide a supportive environment in which all teachers can thrive.

At GCSE, students follow the AQA specification, developing skills in devising, performing, and evaluating live theatre. At A-level, students also follow AQA, with a strong emphasis on both performance and written analysis. Drama is a highly successful subject at WKGS, with excellent results and high levels of student engagement. The department is at the heart of the school’s creative life, contributing to our reputation for outstanding arts provision.

West Kirby Grammar School is a highly successful selective girls’ school with a coeducational Sixth Form. There are approximately 1,200 students on roll, and academic outcomes are exceptional. In 2025, 22% of GCSE grades were awarded at Grade 9 and 44% at Grades 9–8. Students achieved an average grade of 7.15, with 66% of all grades at 9–7. At A-level, results were equally impressive, with 65% of grades at A*–B and an average grade of B. The school was ranked 23rd nationally out of more than 4,000 stateschools in The Telegraph’s annual school rankings, placing us 1st among all state schools in Wirral, Merseyside and Chester, and 5th in the North West of England. These results reflect our exceptional standards of achievement, progress, attendance, and student destinations.

Further information and an application form are available to download from the School’s website (www.wkgs.org) or by contacting the School on 0151 632 3449. A completed application form and a letter addressing the content of the person specification (no longer than two sides of A4) should be submitted to office@wkgs.net for the attention of Mr S. Clarke, Headteacher.

Person Specification

This person specification is related to the requirements of the post as determined by the job description. Short listing is carried out on the basis of how well you meet the requirements of the person specification. You should refer to these requirements when completing your application.

E: Essential D: Desirable

1. Qualifications

  • Degree or equivalent in Drama, Theatre Studies or a related subject (E)
  • QTS (secondary phase) (E)
  • Further degree or related qualification (D)

2. Experience

Successful delivery of Drama at GCSE Level (E)

  • Experience of contributing to extracurricular activities such as productions, clubs or theatre trips (E)
  • Experience of directing or supporting school productions (E)
  • Successful delivery of Drama or Theatre Studies at Advanced Level (D)
  • Experience of engaging with professional theatre companies, festivals or outreach opportunities (D)

3. Knowledge and Skills

  • Strong understanding of curriculum design and implementation in Drama (E)
  • Ability to inspire students through extracurricular activities and external opportunities (E)
  • Effective assessment methods to monitor student progress (E)
  • A deep understanding of best pedagogical practice to ensure ambition and challenge for all students (E)
  • Effective use of interactive technology in teaching and performance work (D)
  • Awareness of contemporary theatre practices and developments in Drama education (D)

4. Special Requirements

  • A belief in the potential of all students to perform at the highest level (E)
  • Empathy with students and colleagues (E)
  • Enhanced DBS clearance and identity checks (E)
  • Willingness to contribute to the wider life of the school (E)
  • Excellent references (E)

What the school offers its staff

  • Greater PPA time than national recommendation
  • Deadlines well publicised and staff consulted on the annual calendar
  • Reduced data collections to ensure no collections for data’s sake
  • Considerate approach to lesson observations, drop-ins and learning walks
  • Headteacher ‘Open Door’ Policy at all times
  • Opportunities for professional development always considered
  • Dedicated classroom wherever possible for teaching staff
  • Access for all staff to self-referral Health & Wellbeing Support package
  • In-house Wellbeing Manager available to all staff, and Staff Wellbeing Committee that monitors and responds to staff needs.
  • A flexible and generous approach to family appointments and child events
  • On site car parking available
  • Complimentary tea and coffee
  • Regular social events organised by the Social Committee

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.

CV's or approaches from agencies are not accepted

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 job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

Upload additional documents

If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

Teacher of Drama FINAL.pdf - 789 KB (opens in new tab)

About West Kirby Grammar School

School type
Academy, ages 11 to 18
Education phase
Secondary
School size
1186 pupils enrolled
Age range
11 to 18
Ofsted report
View Ofsted report
School website
West Kirby Grammar School website
Email address
office@wkgs.net
Phone number
0151 632 3449
See more jobs
teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/west-kirby-grammar-school

A selective, all-girls grammar school with co-educational sixth form, providing Wirral and the wider region with an outstanding education since 1913.

Every student arrives at West Kirby Grammar School with a unique combination of talents, skills and aspirations – it’s our job to help each of our students to discover and nurture theirs.

We do this by providing pupils with a wealth of opportunities and choices, enabling everyone to find out what they enjoy and are good at. We create a caring and supportive environment, whilst at the same time allowing students to solve problems for themselves, ensuring that we develop resilient and enterprising learners.

We don’t believe that anyone is born with fixed abilities and intelligence. With the right teaching, support and motivation, children can grow and thrive in subjects they never considered themselves to be cut out for. And whilst our academic record speaks for itself, we know that students learn and develop both in and out of the classroom. That’s why we offer such a broad range of extra-curricular opportunities, through which pupils develop vital life skills and forge lasting friendships.

Because of all of this, our students leave us equipped to thrive in a complex world, ready to make a positive contribution locally and globally as tomorrow’s leaders.

Arranging a visit to West Kirby Grammar School

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email office@wkgs.net.

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