Brighton College
England
Salary:
Brighton College has its own pay scale, above that of the maintained sector. There is also an excellent and flexible benefits package, the contents of which can be controlled by individual teachers themselves. Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) is included.
Job type:
Full Time, Permanent
Apply by:
31 October 2025
Job overview
Brighton College is seeking to appoint a Head of Academic Music to start in January or April
The Department
The Music Department at Brighton College is a vibrant and dynamic part of school life, staffed by four academic teachers and four Heads of Instrumental Sections. We foster a joyful and inclusive approach to music, where academic and co-curricular strands are closely integrated.
Music is a popular choice at both GCSE and A-level, and in recent years has been one of our fastest growing departments at GCSE. Results are outstanding: 100%of pupils achieved A*-A at A-level in 2025, and we regularly achieve over 95% 9-7 at GCSE. The department follows the Edexcel specification for GCSE and Eduqas for A-level.
Brighton College has a proud musical tradition and exceptional facilities. In 2015, the school opened a purpose-built Music School at the heart of the campus. This includes a Recital and Rehearsal Hall, percussion/rock room, individual practice and teaching rooms, and a professional grade recording suite. The opening of the 400-seat Cairns Theatre in 2024 has provided a world class space for performance and rehearsal space for ensembles, alongside additional state of the art suites dedicated to music technology.
Our extensive co-curricular programme includes a Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Choral Society, Chamber Choir, Chapel Choir, Concert Band, Swing Band, and a variety of instrumental ensembles such as Flute, Brass, and Saxophone groups. We also run a growing Music Production Club using our dedicated Mac suite.
The Chamber Choir sings at weekly Chapel services and major events such as Remembrance and Carol Services. They have performed as visiting choirs at prestigious venues including St Paul's Cathedral, St George's Chapel, Windsor, and Westminster Abbey. Chamber music is a particular strength, with ensembles regularly competing in the National Pro Corda Festival.
The department organises regular music tours abroad. Recent trips include performances at the Palco Venier Jazz Festival in Lake Garda and the Vienne Jazz Festival in France. Our Choral Society stages two major concerts annually, with recent repertoire including Mozart's Requiem and Hiawatha's Wedding Feast by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Musical theatre is another highlight of the College's cultural calendar, with past productions including Into the Woods, Les Misérables, and Hadestown.
Academic results continue to be exceptional. Many Old Brightonians pursue music at leading institutions, including Oxford and Cambridge, Leeds Conservatoire, NYU, King's College London, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
General Duties and Responsibilities
The post holder will:
* Provide inspirational teaching and leadership within the academic music department, not only to consolidate the important place of music within the school, but also to foster excellence in all that the department does.
* Promote the study of music and be a role model for both pupils and colleagues as an outstanding classroom practitioner.
* Oversee and manage the delivery of curriculum music lessons for all year groups.
* Liaise with the Director of Music and Deputy Head (Academic) in matters of setting and monitoring of pupils' progress in Music.
* Develop and update schemes of work to ensure that a varied and inspiring curriculum is always maintained.
* Observe and support graduate and ECT's to promote outstanding and inspiring pedagogy in the music classroom.
* Oversee public examination entries for music at GCSE and A-level and oversee all matters relating to the preparation and submission of coursework.
* Attend regular music departmental meetings and take a lead on matters relating to academic music.
* Attend regular head of department meetings.
* Oversee the provision of extra-curricular music theory lessons, particularly for lower ability musicians in the fifth and sixth forms.
* Lead on the department's Oxbridge preparation programme and support all music pupils in university and conservatoire applications.
* Contribute to the pastoral life of the school as a tutor.
For full details of the role please see the Job Profile Document attached.
Attached documents
Job Description
14.67MB
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About Brighton College
Brighton College
Eastern Road, Brighton
East Sussex
BN2 0AL
United Kingdom
THE SCHOOL
Brighton College is an inspiring place to work. As the leading co-educational school in the UK, it is renowned for its inspirational teaching and innovative education, whilst placing kindness and community at the heart of our approach to education. Named 'UK School of the Decade' by The Sunday Times in November 2020, we educate 1,300 pupils between ages 11 and 18.
Established in 1845, the College has grown exponentially in recent years. The Principal Richard Cairns, a recent Tatler UK Head of the Year, has been in post since 2006 and under his leadership pupil numbers have doubled. Results are consistently excellent. In 2024, our pupils achieved the best A-level results in the UK and Brighton College was awarded an unprecedented three accolades by The Sunday Times; UK Boarding School of the Year, Top School in the UK for A-levels and Top Academic School in South East England.
The school site in Kemptown has seen the addition of stunning new facilities, sustainably designed by leading international architects, with recent investment well in excess of £100 million. These include the Nicola Leach Music School and Sarah Abraham Recital Hall (2015), the Yeoh Building teaching complex (2017), the School of Science and Sport and The Richard Cairns Building (2024), a stunning new performing arts complex and Sixth Form Centre, with a 400-seat theatre and Global Futures hub.
World-class facilities enable us to share a huge variety of opportunities with pupils and allow for innovative and exciting approaches to teaching and learning.
We believe that we are a part of society, not apart from it, and so activism and community involvement are key parts of the curriculum. We have a thriving volunteer programme, driven by pupils, and are proud of our progressive stand on diversity, equality and inclusion.
Brighton College also has a family of schools, which includes our three Sussex prep schools, Brighton College Prep School, Handcross Park School and St Christopher's, and our London prep school, Brighton College Prep Kensington. Overseas, we have opened schools in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore and Vietnam.
Our approach to education is regularly celebrated. As well as being named 'UK School of the Decade', we have been named 'School of the Year' twice by The Sunday Times, and The Week named us 'Most forward-thinking school in Britain' for two years running in 2017 and 2018, 'Best in the UK for STEM' in 2020 and 2024, and awarded us 'Best Sixth Form in Britain' in their 2025 Awards.
Our most recent ISI inspection in November 2024 gave us a glowing report and two areas of 'significant strength', the first highlighting the brilliance of the school's enriching curriculum, activities programme, focus on academic excellence and co-curricular programme. The quality of relationships across the school was also clear to the inspectors, as the culture of kindness throughout the school was identified as our second 'significant strength'.
Most importantly, Brighton College is a happy school. Staff and pupils feel fulfilled, and our emphasis on kindness lends itself to a thriving intellectual, sporting and performing arts culture. Our location in the city gives us the best of all worlds: we're five minutes from the sea and the city centre, ten minutes from the South Downs, and in the heart of the local Kemptown community.
We hope that you will want to come and join the fantastic group of professionals who work here.
LIVING AND WORKING IN BRIGHTON
The College enjoys its location in Brighton, one of Britain's youngest cities and one of the most vibrant and progressive in Europe. A recent national survey identified Brighton as the 'happiest city in the UK' and it regularly features within the top cities for quality of life nationally. With an extensive beach and seafront, and proximity to beautiful rural areas including the South Downs National Park, the opportunities for recreation and leisure are varied and numerous. Transport links are also excellent, Brighton being within easy travelling distance of London (50 minutes by train), and 30 minutes from Gatwick Airport. Brighton is also a university city, and the College has good links with both the University of Sussex and Brighton University. Our annual involvement in the Pride parade has strengthened existing links with the local community.
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