Head of Music in Stoke-on-Trent

We are seeking to appoint an inspirational and committed Head of Music to lead and develop a vibrant Music Department within our secondary school. This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate musician and educator to shape the future of music education in a school with a strong musical tradition and enthusiastic learners.

There is a strong musical tradition at Endon. Many pupils have been involved in extra-curricular activities over the years and pupils are keen to take part. A commitment to the extra-curricular life of the Music Department will be essential. Strong practical performing skills will be important and an interest in developing vocal work across the school.

Pupils are taught in mixed ability groups in KS3. Each class is allocated a 100-minute lesson per fortnight. Class sizes vary with the average size being approximately 23-26 pupils. Take-up for GCSE Music varies from year to year with current numbers in Year 10 standing at 20 pupils. All pupils at KS4 have three 100-minute lessons per fortnight. Results at GCSE are consistently good and we currently follow the Educa’s specification. Pupils studying GCSE Music are eligible for subsidised instrument tuition within the lessons programme.

Endon High School is a high achieving school with excellent academic results and together we work exceptionally hard to attain the best possible results for every student. Our mission is “To inspire confident learners and take them on a journey of opportunities throughout Endon High School so that they can thrive academically, socially, physically and emotionally, within a happy and caring environment.”

We expect all members of our school community to value: Curiosity, Determination and Kindness. To be ready, be respectful and be responsible. To believe in our motto ‘There is more in you'. We aspire to equip everyone with the knowledge, understanding, skills and qualities needed to achieve success at the highest level. Empowering every learner to go beyond their best and aim for excellence in everything they do, so that they may all follow a quality pathway after Endon High School and thrive in an ever-changing world.

One of the many strengths of this school is the opportunity for students to take part in a wide variety of enrichment activities. There are many residentials, both in the UK and abroad. The school is also proud of its rich extended schools programme called the Endzone with numerous clubs and activities available each day for an hour after school. Endon High is a vibrant, busy and happy school with a special atmosphere; where relationships between staff, students and parents/carers give our young people the opportunity to thrive.

We are looking for a candidate that will buy into our ethos and values, knowing that there is more in them too. All candidates are required to provide a supporting statement on the formal application forms which states clearly your reasons for applying skills and experience for this position.

At Shaw Education Trust, we believe every role has the power to transform a life. Whether you’re supporting behind the scenes, inspiring in the classroom, or leading with vision, you will be part of something truly meaningful. Our values — opportunity, integrity, community, and equity — guide everything we do. Our vision is “Opening doors to the world through the power of learning.” We bring this to life through our mission: working together to inspire communities where every school is valued, every voice matters, and every learner thrives.

We are a dynamic and growing family of primary, secondary, and special schools, proudly serving communities from Birmingham to Bury. Our people are our greatest asset, and we are deeply committed to their development through high-quality training, apprenticeships, talent development programmes, and research opportunities, we empower our staff to thrive as skilled, confident professionals. We champion wellbeing, value every voice, and foster a culture where you feel supported, motivated, and inspired to make a real difference.

You will join a collaborative network of schools where shared expertise and a strong professional community drive success. Every academy within our Trust has an equal voice, and every colleague plays a vital role in shaping tailored learning experiences that raise aspirations and build brighter futures.

If you have the passion, dedication, and drive to help shape lives and create futures filled with promise, we would love you to join our team. Together, let’s make the remarkable happen. We believe every child has the potential to be extraordinary.

In our secondary schools, we pride ourselves on our innovative approach to curriculum design, to ensure all our schools have breadth and ambition for all students, regardless of their starting points and barriers. Standard curriculum models don’t always engage all students, so we constantly seek to innovate and provide better opportunities to develop both knowledge and skills for life. We want our students to believe their curriculum is bold, exciting, purposeful, and ultimately leads to something meaningful for them.

Some examples of our innovation include moving towards an extended school day, to provide a world class enrichment programme and more opportunities for essential skills like reading and cultural capital. We are also introducing vocational and technical pathways, which run through the normal school curriculum but attract support from leading employers and universities to develop work-readiness in our students, so that they can progress onto T Levels and apprenticeships.

Our secondary schools are currently driving ‘PedTech’ across the sector: we believe teaching and technology should go hand-in-glove and are passionately committed towards providing a fully digitally enhanced curriculum. We are very close to achieving full 1:1 device delivery and are sprinting towards better use of iPads in lessons to enhance the experience and learning.

Shaw Education Trust offer the following employee benefits with your Teaching or Support Staff employment:

• An excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (Support Staff) / Teachers Pension (Teaching Staff)
• Generous holiday entitlement from your first day of employment (37 days holiday rising to 39 days after 5 years’ service including Bank Holidays)
• Access to Medicash Health & Wellbeing Plan: Enjoy health services designed to support your well-being.
• Free DiscountForTeachers Scheme for all staff (Support and Teaching), Exclusive discounts to save money with a wide selection of discounts and exclusive offers from hundreds of the biggest brands.
• Free Eye Tests
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to our Institute of Education and fantastic opportunities to help you grow, contribute and flourish in your role and in the Trust.

We know our people are the key to our success and so we’re committed to ensuring the employment experience at Shaw Education Trust is a rewarding one. Colleagues within the Trust benefit from:

• Access to a full range of courses both in-house and professionally accredited. These courses include a variety of the National Professional Qualifications and the Early Career Teacher Programme delivered by Shaw Education Trust as a delivery partner for Ambition Institute.
• Experienced leadership and subject-specific support.
• Guidance from former HMIs and serving Ofsted Inspectors within the Trust.
• Access to the Trust’s Institute of Education and SCITT.
• Opportunities to work with different schools within the Trust as a Professional Advocate.
• Participating in peer reviews.
• Access to a suite of online courses.
• Placement projects within our family of schools.