The WLFS has been a music specialist school since its foundation, and the department is well resourced, with four full-time music teachers, supported by a full-time assistant and twenty visiting teachers. Twelve pupils each year enter the school as music scholars. At Key Stage 3, pupils have two hours a week of classroom music teaching, and develop a thorough theoretical and practical grasp of traditional music notation. Around half participate in either an after-school music ensemble or receive instrumental lessons, with almost 300 individual lessons taking place each week, and a scheme to encourage the study of ‘rare’ orchestral instruments.
Our proportion of pupils taking Music GCSE (OCR) in Years 10 and 11 is among the highest for any secondary school in the country. At A-level we offer both Music (Eduqas) and Music Technology (Edexcel), and former pupils often go onto study music at the country’s most prestigious universities, with some recent alumni winning choral scholarships. The music department run a school orchestra, a string group, a wind band, and a number of choirs. There is a busy programme of concerts, competitions, foreign and UK tours, cathedral visits, and an ambitious history of school musicals (with recent examples including The Sound of Music and Les Miserables). As such, music is central to the life of the school. We believe that music makes our pupils’ lives, and our school community, richer in spirit. In this the department is fully supported by the senior leadership team.
Key characteristics of the role include:
* to impart your passion for Music to the pupils you teach, whilst also ensuring their mastery of the subject.
* to assist the Head of Department in planning and delivering schemes of work for Key Stages 3, 4 and 5, and monitoring their effectiveness.
* to monitor the progress of pupils according to the school assessment policy.
* to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in the department by taking part in collaborative planning, sharing resources, mentoring and observing teachers, and participating in continuing professional development.
* to be a form tutor, and work collaboratively with your year group team.
* to contribute to the wider school life, by taking responsibility for one or more instrumental/vocal ensembles, supporting the busy concerts programme, and helping to lead inspiring external trips and tours.
* to play a key role in the submission of performing and composing coursework, recording and accompanying pupils, and running support sessions as appropriate.
The successful candidate will have:
* strong subject knowledge, a passion for Music, and an ability to communicate that passion to pupils;
* an ability to teach Music at Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 to all levels, including pupils with SEN;
* a proven track record of excellent Music teaching and, where relevant, outstanding outcomes for pupils at both GCSE and A-level, including in performance and composition;
* an understanding of the ethos of the West London Free School, and a commitment to teaching a knowledge-based curriculum;
* capacity to lead by example as a performer (strong keyboard skills are especially desirable);
* high expectations of pupil conduct and behaviour;
* excellent team working skills and communication skills with both pupils and staff;
* a willingness to contribute to the department’s co-curricular programme.