Part-Time Teacher of Music

from the Headmistress
Mrs Maria Young MA PGCE

Part-Time Teacher of Music

Background to the School

Farnborough  Hill  is  an  independent  Catholic  day  school  and  a  member  of  the  Girls’  Schools
Association, Independent Schools’ Association and CISC.  It welcomes pupils and staff of all faiths and
no faith, provided they are in sympathy with the ethos of the School.

Located on the Hampshire/Surrey border, the School has excellent transport links, both by train and
road being about a 10 minutes’ walk from Farnborough Main station.

Farnborough Hill is committed to the education of the whole person. The School places great emphasis
on the all-round personal growth of its pupils. It aims for academic excellence as well as ensuring that
pupils play a full part in school life and have the opportunities to develop their co-curricular interests.

The School offers Academic, Art, Drama, Music and Sports Scholarships at 11+ as well as means-tested
bursaries for families in need of financial assistance. Sixth Form Scholarships are awarded on the basis
of open examination, as well as for excellence in Creative Arts, Music, Performing Arts and Sport.

In 2025 our A level pupils once again achieved impressive results with an excellent 50% of all grades at
A*/A and 76% A*-B. Our GCSE results were also excellent with 48% of grades awarded at 9-7.

The  School’s  aim  is  to  engage  wholeheartedly  in  all  activities,  challenges  and  opportunities.  This  is
achieved  through  our  pastoral  care  and  encouragement  of  each  individual.  This  is  a  strength  of
Farnborough  Hill  and  we  see  it  as  an  essential  part  of  our  caring,  Christian  ethos.  Parents  greatly
appreciate this and see it as an important ingredient when choosing to send their daughters here.

The  School  is  housed  in  the  historic  home  of  the  ex-Empress  Eugenie  of  France,  to  which  much
purpose-built  school  accommodation,  such  as  the  sports  hall,  swimming  pool,  Art  and  Design
Technology  Centre, modern  laboratories, theatre, a music  suite  and  hockey  all-weather  pitch  have
been added, with an inspiring new Sixth Form Centre which opened in September 2022. These facilities
sit within approximately 65 acres of parkland making it a tranquil and inspiring place to work, alongside
a forward-looking and ambitious Senior Leadership Team and governing body.

The Music Department
The Music Department is a lively, friendly and successful department and music is a prominent part of
school life. Great importance is placed on music as both an academic subject and as a central part of
the School’s co-curricular provision. It is also an essential component of our Catholic ethos and liturgy.

The department currently consists of the Director of Music plus one other specialist Teacher of Music.
This post is the result of the current postholder being promoted to another role and is required to
continue the development of both academic and co-curricular programmes of music making.

Music is allocated one hour a week in Years 7 and 8 and broadly follows the National Curriculum, with
emphasis placed on the integration of performing, composing and listening skills. Girls in Year 9 chose
Music as an option and receive two hour-long lessons per week, now in smaller groups of around ten:
around 20% of the current Year 9 have opted for Music. A healthy number of girls choose to take
GCSE Music, with some continuing to A level (both with AQA) and, indeed, beyond.

A  team of  12  Peripatetic Teachers  offer  weekly  lessons in  a  range of  instruments  and  singing,  with
around 175 individual lessons taking place each week throughout the School day. Associated Board
Music Examinations (Practical and Performance Grades) are held each term, and a number of girls also
take  examinations  with  Trinity  and  Rock  School.  Many  of  our  girls  participate  in  leading  local  and
national ensembles outside of school, including the Berkshire and Hampshire Youth Orchestras, the
Berkshire and Farnham Youth Choirs and the National Children’s Orchestra.

St Cecilia’s, the Music Suite, which opened in Easter 2014, houses a large recital room (Choir Room),
a fully equipped Music Technology classroom housing a suite of 12 Apple Macs, a recording studio, two
additional  peripatetic  rooms  and  the  department  office,  along  with  a  large  area  for  storage  of
instruments and music. In September 2023, the other dedicated Music classroom in the Main House
was completely refurbished to allow groups of 24 pupils to utilise their iPads with mini-synths for both
performance and composition tasks. This is next to the Grand Salon, which itself is used for individual
lessons and occasional recitals and concerts. The pupils use GarageBand and Sibelius for their music
composition work, and all girls have their own iPads for use in class.

The School owns a wide selection of instruments and there are grand pianos in the Hall, Choir Room
(Yamaha), Grand Salon and one of the classrooms (Kawai). The Chapel also houses a pipe organ.

Members of the department have a reduced teaching load to reflect the many hours spent developing
and  supporting  our  numerous  co-curricular  groups  which  currently  includes  Junior  Choir,  Senior
Choir, Orchestra and Swing Band. There are also a number of chamber groups, some of which are led
by  our  Music  Captains,  including  Flute  Group,  String  Group,  Keyboard  Club,  Rock  School  and  a
Worship Band.

A variety of concerts and performances are given throughout the year, including large-scale ensemble
concerts in the School Hall and/or Chapel and a series of Soirées in St. Cecilia’s. There is also an annual
House Music competition.

The Senior Choir (Years 10 – Upper Sixth) sings at Mass on Holy Days and for other services in the
School’s magnificent 600-seat Chapel and has previously sung Evensong at leading Cathedrals. In recent
years the choir has visited Chichester Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral and Winchester Cathedral, and
will shortly sing Vigil Mass at Westminster Cathedral.

The Music Department works closely with the Chaplain in preparing the music and liturgy for these
services.  Applications from non-Catholics will be welcomed but candidates need to be comfortable
with liturgical celebrations.

The Music Department also has strong links with the Drama Department. Every two years we produce
a fully-staged Whole School Musical, with the most recent production being The Addams Family (2024);
Oliver! will be performed in March of this year. The department also contributes music to the Junior
productions, the most recent of which was Matilda Jr (2025), and coordinates a semi-staged musical
for the whole of Year 7 each summer.

A number of external performances, many for charitable causes, are also undertaken: the Swing Band
regularly  performs  at  the  Victoria  Halls  in  Hartley  Wintney,  for  example.  The  Senior  Choir  has  a
tradition  of  undertaking  a  Summer  tour,  with  recent  locations  including  Prague  (2017),  Barcelona
(2019) and Dorset (2022). A successful Junior Tour in 2023 will soon be followed by a whole-school
Music  Tour,  again  to  Barcelona,  this  coming  Summer,  with  performance  scheduled  for  La  Sagrada
Familia and at the mountain-top monastery in Monserrat.

The post of Part-Time Teacher of Music
The post of part-time Teacher of Music is suitable for an experienced teacher, or ECT, who is able to
make  a  significant  contribution  to  both  curricular  and  co-curricular  music  making.  The  successful
candidate will be required to teach Music at KS3 and KS4, and with the relevant experience, also at
KS5. The ability to accompany both individuals and ensembles on the piano is essential, and the capacity
to play the organ would be advantageous but is not essential.

Music is integral to the fabric and happiness of the School, and many girls participate in curricular and
co-curricular musical activities each week.

Farnborough Hill Teacher Person Specification

•  To support the aims, values and ethos of the School and to contribute to the implementation of

the School’s Mission Statement.

•  To support the aims and objectives of the Music Department and to meet objectives which lead

to the achievement of those aims.

•  To make a significant contribution to the School’s and the Music Department’s curricular and co-

curricular programme.

•  To be accountable to the Headmistress and to perform such duties as she may reasonably direct,

including some duties out of school hours.

Key
Responsibilities

•  To teach classroom Music up to KS4 level, with the possibility of teaching

KS5 for the right candidate

•  To contribute to the programme of co-curricular Music, directing and/or
accompanying choirs and ensembles as agreed with the Director of Music
•  To foster performance opportunities for pupils both in school and further

afield

•  To assist with the arrangements, and the preparation of pupils for, GCSE/A

level recordings and ABRSM examinations

•  To undertake other duties relating to the smooth running of a busy Music

Department as agreed with the Director of Music

Other
Responsibilities

•  To play an active role in the life of the school
•  To act as a Form Tutor and to carry out the duties associated with the role
•  To attend school events, including  Assemblies, Masses, Parents’ Evenings,

INSET, staff meetings and staff briefing

Qualifications

Skills and
Abilities

Personal
Qualities

•  To  play  a  full  part  in  the  life  of  the  school  community,  to  support
Farnborough Hill’s Mission and ethos and to encourage staff and pupils to
follow this example

•  A good record of academic achievement including a relevant degree
•  A teaching qualification (eg PGCE/QTS)
•  Proven successful experience of teaching GCSE and A level Music would be

desirable

•  Recent  previous  experience  of  working  with  young  people  of  secondary

school age

•  Good oral and written English skills
•  Excellent  classroom  practitioner  with  the  ability  to  prepare  and  deliver

interesting and dynamic lessons

•  Adept at using ICT for teaching, learning and administration
•  Ability  to  contribute  to  co-curricular  activities  and  the  wider  life  of  the

school by directing and/or accompanying ensembles and individuals

•  Strong keyboard skills
•  Ability to inspire and motivate others
•  Excellent organisational skills and the ability to work under pressure
•  The ability to teach a second subject would be desirable but not essential
•  Sympathy with the aims, values and ethos of the School
•  Professional, positive, patient and helpful
•  Confident in the classroom
•  Personal warmth with good interpersonal skills
•  Good sense of humour
•  Commitment to the best practice in teaching and pastoral care
•  Commitment  to  safeguarding  and  promoting  the  welfare  of  children  and

young people

This is a part-time post of between 2 and 3 days per week, depending on the skill set of the candidate.
The appointment will be made from September 2026, and the salary will be according to qualifications
and experience on Farnborough Hill’s own generous pay scale.  In accordance with the School’s current
employment policies, the first two terms of the appointment will be probationary.

All members of staff are expected to be in sympathy with and supportive of the ethos of the School,
as set out in the Mission Statement.  All members of staff are expected to be fully involved in the life
of  the  School,  contributing  to  co-curricular  activities  and  undertaking  responsibility  in  the  tutorial
teams.

Farnborough Hill is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
and expects all staff to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to undergo the
appropriate DBS Code of Practice check.

Further information about the School can be found on our website. www.farnborough-hill.org

If you require any further information about this post or the School please telephone Mrs Mel Clark,
the Headmistress’s PA, in the first instance, on 01252 545197.

To  apply  please  complete  the  Application  Form,  which  is  available  from  our  website,  and
submit it to the Headmistress via email to HMSec@farnborough-hill.org

Please apply as soon as possible as applications will be considered upon receipt; we reserve
the right to interview/appoint before the closing date.

Closing Date: 9.00 am on Wednesday 25 February 2026 – however, if interested in applying
for the role please submit your application as early as possible as it will be considered upon
receipt
Interviews: Interviews will take place on a rolling basis, and may take place prior to the closing
date
Start Date: September 2026