Director of Music - Full-time

Gad's Hill School, Rochester

• Ref:KCC886-6007-229T
• Posted:23/04/2026
• Pay:GHS Pay Scale + Leadership Allowance + Benefits
• Start Date:27 August 2026
• App Close Date:14/05/2026 at 10:00
• Interviews:20 May 2026

Advert

Gad’s Hill School, a Co‑Educational Day School for pupils aged 3–16, is looking to appoint a Director of Music from the commencement of the Autumn Term 2026.

This is an opportunity for an enthusiastic and talented teacher of Music to lead a high‑profile department within a supportive and aspirational school, combining established musical traditions with the freedom to innovate, develop and lead music into its next chapter.

Music at Gad’s Hill is highly visible and well supported. The school enjoys a rich and varied concert programme across the academic year, providing frequent performance opportunities for pupils of all ages and abilities. Highlights include the much‑cherished Carol Service at Rochester Cathedral, alongside whole‑school concerts, soloist showcases and ensemble performances that form a central part of the school’s cultural life.

The music department is housed in a purpose‑built music suite, comprising a large main teaching room with adjoining practice rooms. These are equipped to support both classroom teaching and individual or small‑group rehearsal, and include a number of beautiful marimbas that contribute to the distinctive identity of music at Gad’s Hill and are much admired by pupils, parents and visitors.

The department currently consists of the Director of Music, supported by a team of experienced peripatetic music tutors delivering individual lessons in instruments and voice. This structure offers a strong foundation for collaborative working, pupil progression and the integration of instrumental tuition with curriculum and performance opportunities. The Director of Music also collaborates closely with the Head of Drama on the staging of school productions, for example.

Music is taught to children of all ages in the school. Pupils choose GCSE option subjects at the end of Lower Fourth (Year 8). The successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape musical experiences in the lower and middle years that inspire engagement, nurture musicians of all abilities, and encourage pupils to continue their musical studies into the Upper School.

While the school values and celebrates its established musical traditions, this role offers an exciting opportunity to reimagine and develop a forward‑looking music curriculum alongside these strengths. An ambitious and reflective leader of music will be supported in introducing new ideas, broadening musical experiences, and building a curriculum that is engaging, inclusive and aspirational, and which young people will want to continue up to GCSE and beyond.

Information about the school

Gad’s Hill School operates as three distinct departments within one school. The Kindergarten takes children from age three in our Nursery through to Year 2. Here, alongside the foundation in literacy, numeracy, sciences and humanities, there is a strong emphasis on play, physical education, music and drama with all pupils performing in a number of short productions each year. The school places particular emphasis on communications and therefore pupils from Reception upwards receive twice weekly lessons in Spanish and also Computing.

The Junior School is currently two-form entry from Years 3-6. Our Junior pupils receive a high proportion of lessons with subject specialists; in particular Modern Languages (Spanish), DT, Computing, Art, Music, Science & Games. By Years 5 and 6 nearly all lessons are delivered by specialist tutors. In sport our students have the opportunity to represent the school in fixtures against other schools.

Our school is located geographically within a selective secondary system and historically many of our pupils would leave to attend grammar schools at the end of Lower Shell (Year 6). However, in the last few years, the growing success of our Charles Dickens Scholarship Award, providing financial assistance to the most able pupils from our own Junior School and many from the wider community, has resulted in the development of highly capable and aspirational cohorts at Key Stage 3. Our strength is to make the most of our small class sizes and supportive atmosphere to add significant value to every individual.

The Upper School generally has a two- or three-form entry. The curriculum is relatively broad, with all pupils taking a spread of subjects including Art, DT, Food & Nutrition, Spanish, Computer Science, Music and Drama. Students choose a range of options at the conclusion of Year 8. They follow a core of Maths, English (Literature & Language), Separate or Combined Science and CCF (comprising BTEC Teamwork & Personal Development and Institute of Leadership & Management diplomas). As options they may choose from History, Geography, Spanish, Art, Food & Nutrition, DT, Computer Science, Music, Drama and PE, and in recent years we have supplemented these options with Psychology and Statistics exam courses for our increasingly able cohorts.

At present there is no sixth form education at Gad’s Hill and pupils currently depart for local schools, colleges or other independents. In recent times we have partnered with the University for the Creative Arts and several of our leavers have commenced Extended Diploma courses with them.

Job Contact Information

• Name:Tracy Barker
• Address:Higham, Rochester, Kent, ME3 7PA
• Telephone: Tel: 01474 822366
• Email: information@gadshillschool.org

Documents

Below are documents that have been added to this vacancy.

• GHS - Director of Music - Information for Candidates
• Child protection policy
• Safer Recruitment Policy