Head of Music

From 1st January 2026

The School

Gordano School, part of the Lighthouse Schools Partnership, is a large and successful 11-18 comprehensive secondary school approximately eight miles outside Bristol. Our school includes a thriving Sixth Form of nearly 400 students that is strongly integrated into the life of the school and offers significant opportunities for sixth form teaching in over 30 courses. We are the sole secondary school serving the popular town of Portishead and benefit greatly from being a central part of our community.

We view education as something bigger than just academic achievement. We have a record of considerable academic success but wholeheartedly believe that a student's education should be about preparing young people for their future lives in the complete sense, developing our young people’s key skills and behaviours that set them up for a successful future pathway. As well as consistently strong outcomes at GCSE and A Level, we place great emphasis on the opportunities available to our students including developing student leadership across our student body, offering an unparalleled extra-curricular programme and ensuring clear guidance for students when considering progression to their next steps of their educational journey.

We pride ourselves on high-quality support for colleagues at all stages of their career through internal and external CPD, including our membership of the Lighthouse Schools Partnership, with staff involved in a range of developmental opportunities across schools in the Trust as well as supporting staff in bespoke training such as completing different levels of the NPQ programmes. We maintain significant involvement in Initial Teacher Training and deliver a comprehensive ECT induction in association with the Five Counties Teaching School Hubs Alliance and Ambition Institute. Our very large staff body allows regular opportunities for progression into leadership roles at all levels.

Importantly, beyond the wider experiences on offer to our student body, we seek to be a very happy school community with a big heart. This has never been more evident than through our recent work in delivering our core principles of ‘Dream big, do your best, give back’, fostering a community filled with kindness and respect.

The Role

We are seeking an inspirational, well-qualified and highly motivated Head of Music on a full-time contract to lead our Music provision both within and beyond the classroom. The role demands someone with real conviction about the role of Music in education, a strong track record in the classroom, and someone who has the experience and commitment to lead in the delivery of the high quality and broad extra-curricular programme, including musical direction for school productions.

The creative arts is an area of the school that is extremely well supported by the Headteacher (who herself is a musician) and is seen as pivotal to the success of the school and its ethos and culture.

The postholder will engage in regulated activity.

The successful candidate will:

be an excellent classroom teacher with a very strong understanding of effective teaching and learning in Music

be able to develop and lead a high-quality Music curriculum across the age range 11-18

lead in the delivery of extra-curricular Music opportunities and productions

be able to enthuse, engage and motivate students and teachers

be a strong team player in the Creative Arts Faculty and beyond

Show flexibility, innovation and intelligence in responding to the needs of the pupils and School as a whole.

Gordano School offers an excellent benefits package including contributory pension scheme, a comprehensive employee assistance programme and benefits (offering discounts on shopping), cycle to work scheme and on-site parking.

Closing date: 23:59 on Thursday 4th September 2025

Interviews: Friday 12th September 2025

Early applications are encouraged. Gordano School reserves the right to interview and appoint prior to the closing date of the advertisement, should the School be able to identify an appropriate candidate.