Head of Art

The school is seeking to appoint a Head of Art from 1st September 2025 to lead and inspire in both the curricular and co-curricular work of our busy and thriving Art department and the wider school. The role would be most suitable for an experienced teacher wishing to work full-time, but part-time applications may be considered.The Department The Art Department consists of two full time and two part time Art teachers, an Artist in Residence and a full-time technician who form a close-knit team sharing ideas and resources freely. Communication, adaptability, hard work and a good sense of humour are fundamental to the department's success. The Art department at Magdalen College School is a busy, vibrant and stimulating area with many pupils choosing to spend a significant amount of time during lunch break and after school working on the development of their projects. We also provide many opportunities for enrichment through photography and scholarship clubs; the weekly life drawing class; trips and visiting artist workshops; the Arts Festival; and entries into local and national competitions. Art is a popular and successful subject and teaching takes place in a suite of four well-lit studios, a darkroom, a computer suite and a DT lab, which are all equipped with interactive screens that wirelessly mirror the teacher's Microsoft Surface. The department has a kiln and three printing presses. Academic standards are high. In 2024, 44% of GCSE grades were grade 9, 56% were grades 9-8, and 72% were grades 9-7. At A Level, 50% were grade A

• and 100% were grades A-A. In recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of pupils choosing Art, Art History or Architecture for higher education, with places being offered at the Bartlett (UCL), the Ruskin (Oxford), Cambridge, Edinburgh, Bath and UAL., We are looking for an outstanding Art teacher to lead, manage and administrate Art in the Senior School. The successful candidate will:
• take a keen interest in the welfare of pupils and show clear commitment to safeguarding children;
• be a well-qualified graduate of Art or a related discipline;
• lead, manage and develop a successful Art department in a leading independent school;
• show clear enthusiasm for teaching Art, and plan and teach engaging lessons from Year 7 to Upper Sixth and university application preparation;
• contribute fully to the wider life of the school, such as through games, music, drama, CCF or other activities;
• act as the pastoral tutor to a Senior School houseroom (tutor group);
• manage the team of Art teachers, the full-time technician, and the Artist in Residence;
• participate in the staff review and appraisal process and the co-ordination of professional development within the department;
• develop engaging schemes of work for teaching Art to bright pupils;
• update and oversee the implementation of department policies on assessment, health and safety, and other relevant issues;
• organise all public and internal examinations in Art (AQA for GCSE and A Level)
• prepare, submit and control the annual Department budget;
• organise or delegate the organisation of trips and other co-curricular activities involving the department;
• maintain effective communication throughout the department by means of formal and informal meetings;
• have responsibility for the display of artworks (including the maintenance of department displays, annual re-hang of other display areas on site, organisation of Arts Festival events such as exhibitions and workshops);
• work closely with the Head of Design Technology, which is taught in Years 7 and 8
• liaise with colleagues in the Junior School who lead the teaching of Art;
• support the progress of all pupils studying Art by taking a role in departmental support, enrichment and partnerships sessions;
• set clear expectations for pupil behaviour within an encouraging classroom environment, The Head of Art will report to the Deputy Head (Academic), and ultimately to the Master, for the proper discharge of his or her duties.
  
  have excellent written and spoken communication skills and communicate effectively with pupils, parents, staff and the local community;
• have sound IT skills;
• have the ability to work collaboratively and effectively as part of a wider team;
• display a high level of attention to detail;
• work hard to support pupil progress;
• be willing to take part in continuing professional development;
• respond positively to feedback.
  
  There are many benefits to working at Magdalen College School. Founded in 1480 by William of Waynflete, the school has a rich history and an enviable location at the heart of Oxford beside the River Cherwell.
MCS is one of the country's leading independent day schools. Shaped by its Christian Collegiate foundation and links with the university city of which it is part, it aims to inspire in all its pupils a desire to learn, flourish and serve. The School will celebrate its 550th anniversary in 2030. The current generation of MCS staff and pupils wish to ensure that we shape a school that is able to flourish for at least another half millennium, and hopefully many more beyond. There are around 950 pupils, boys aged 7-18 and Sixth Form girls, and 350 members of staff who learn and work on the School's central Oxford site. To learn more about the opportunities and advantages of working at MCS, please refer to the attached 'Recruitment Pack (Head of Art)'.

The school currently has its own salary scale, and salaries are substantially more generous than those in the maintained sector; there is also a relocation allowance on a sliding scale, by agreement with the Master and Bursar, and dependent on current location. The school also operates a cycle to work scheme, and travel loans are available. MCS offers teaching staff a choice of pension arrangements; a Defined Contribution scheme with an employer contribution of 23.68% or the Teachers' Pension Scheme with a salary sacrifice arrangement. Staff may move between the two schemes as suits their needs. The Master will discuss the pension with any offer of appointment.