If you are a committed and inspirational teacher of Music seeking to join a successful and supportive department aspiring to new heights in a popular and high-performing school, this could be just the job for you.
The School
The Glasgow Academy is an ambitious, warm, welcoming, thriving and forward-thinking fully co-educational HMC independent day school of around pupils aged 3-18. It is highly popular, growing in a planned way over the last 14 years. It consists of the Senior School, of around pupils of 11-18 years of age, and a Preparatory School (which has three sites all of which has a Nursery/Kindergarten). Recruitment at the school is very strong at every age group.
We have a long tradition of fostering academic excellence and we are proud of our pupils’ achievements. Results in external examinations are consistently among the best in the country. We have an open and inclusive entry policy and present pupils for a significantly greater number of Higher examinations than many other schools. In / our pass rate at National 5 A-C rate was 98% with the A pass rate at 81% and at Higher was 97% with 75% of entries awarded A grades. In S6, the pass rate was 91% for Advanced Higher with 53% of entries awarded grade A.
Beyond academic achievement we want all of our pupils to thrive and contribute to a rapidly developing modern world and to do that we must ensure they leave The Academy with a socially conscious, innovative and global outlook. Our aim is that we provide our pupils with rich learning experiences that best prepare them for life after The Academy and also places value on the importance of sustainable education for future generations. Through further development of our local, national and global partnerships our aim is that we have a greater impact on lives within and out with The Academy community.
The school's latest £15 million new building won Best Building in Scotland, the UK's richest architectural prize. The school has invested around £27 million in its facilities over the last decade or so and continues to invest heavily and strategically.
The Department
The department is housed in a purpose-built Music School with three teaching classrooms (one of which is set up for teaching Music Technology), eleven instrumental teaching rooms, a staff base and offices. There is also a classroom in the Prep School building for the teaching of Nursery and Kindergarten to Prep 4.
In recent years the department has led highly successful Senior School music tours to New York, The Netherlands and Barcelona, as well as to the North of England and London. In New York our musicians performed in the chapel at Ground Zero, the bandstand in Central Park and in St John the Divine. The successful candidate will be expected to take an active part in these tours, as well as to work closely with the Drama department on musicals and school shows, which have recently included 'Avenue Q', 'Return to the Forbidden Planet' and 'Grease' and which involve being available for some Sunday rehearsals in the autumn term. The Prep School present their own musical each year and the new music teacher will be expected to become fully involved in these types of events, as well as termly concerts/services and weekday assemblies.
Currently, there are around individual music lessons a week, with 23 visiting instrumental and vocal teachers. It is expected that the successful appointee will take responsibility for at least one of the choirs and/or one or two of the instrumental ensembles. There are four members of department, including the Head of Department and two part-time teachers, one of which teaches music at TGA Newlands Prep School. They contribute extensively to the wider life of the school, for example through involvement in House activities, pastoral care, residential trips and co-curricular clubs and societies.
The Candidate
The successful candidate will be expected to teach from Nursery/Kindergarten to Advanced Higher level. Each year, a good number of pupils continue to Higher and Advanced Higher Music and there is a growing interest in National 5 and Higher Music Technology. A few pupils sit the Higher courses during their S6 year. Some knowledge of SQA Music Technology teaching would be a strong advantage. The Department’s record in external examinations has been excellent, with many pupils achieving Grade 8 standard before they leave. Strong keyboard skills and an ability to accompany exams (ABRSM, Trinity Guildhall etc.) and choirs/ensembles is essential.
Pastoral care, continuity of support/guidance from year to year, and individual knowledge and understanding of children are very important in our school, so a number of staff members are expected to be a tutor looking after a tutor group of about 14/15 children that they see every morning throughout the children's time in Senior School. Along with their tutees, all teachers are members of one of our four Houses, taking part in House activities and duties.
The Appointment
The appointment is for April (with possibility of August for the right candidate) and is initially a full-time, one year fixed term contract with the expectation this will become a permanent position.
The Academy Salary Scale, which is currently over 6.7% above the national scale, runs in six unequal increments, with placing according to experience. A very competitive defined contribution pension scheme is also available.
All teachers at The Academy must be registered with the General Teaching Council Scotland.
The Glasgow Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and all appointments are subject to membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme
The Glasgow Academy is committed to providing equality of opportunity and ensuring that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender and transgender status, race and ethnicity, religion and belief, marriage or civil partnership status or sexual orientation.
The Glasgow Academy is a War Memorial School with a long history of employing ex-serving personnel, reservists and spouses of serving personnel. We look favourably on applications from those mentioned above; we understand the extra burdens placed on these individuals and as an organisation are fully committed to supporting them and their families.
It is a legal requirement that all employees must demonstrate that they are entitled to live and work in the UK. You will be required to produce documentary proof e.g. passport and work permit, where applicable, to demonstrate your eligibility to work if selected for interview.
How to Apply
Applications should be made using the official application form and must be submitted by email to by 4pm on Friday 28th November .
Interviews (which will include teaching a sample lesson) are currently planned to take place during week commencing 8th December .
Candidates should include details of their particular interests and what contributions they feel they can make to the wider life of the school.