Subject Leader - Art

Do you get frustrated by fads and fashions in teaching?

Do you secretly teach amazing lessons when no one is watching?

Are you a bit of a maverick?

If so, then Michaela Community School is the school for you. The governors wish to appoint a subject leader of Art to start from January 2015. For the right candidate, we might consider an April or even a September 2015 start.

Michaela Community School is a non-denominational, 11-18, mixed free school with a private-school ethos. Michaela combines tradition and innovation to ensure all pupils develop good character, have the highest aspirations and achieve excellence. We opened this month, in September 2014 with 120 Year 7 pupils. We will increase in size by one year group each year. At full capacity, Michaela will have 840 children, including a Sixth Form.

At Michaela, we believe in teaching a curriculum filled with content in a disciplined atmosphere. It is the role of Senior Team to ensure that every teacher is well-supported by whole-school systems, so that they can teach with ease. We believe in a narrow curriculum that prioritises traditional subjects. Homework/prep sessions during the school day makes sure homework is always done.

As a school, we do not have graded lesson observations, nor do we have 3 targets set for the year that you forget as soon as you've written them. We have a very supportive atmosphere amongst staff. Perks for staff range from a staff library, to a great reduction in marking thanks to our weekly IT assessments. We believe in working smart.

We recognise the value Art brings to the ethos of a school. We have not yet appointed our Subject Leader of Art, so this represents a very exciting opportunity for the right candidate. The Department is yours to develop entirely to fit with your vision. Every week, Art will have two 1-hour lessons, double the provision at most secondary schools.

We seek a passionate artist, skilled in the fundamental activity of making art. We want someone able to communicate subject specific knowledge and teach drawing, painting, 3D and aligned digital practices to pupils across all age groups and abilities. An understanding of art history is essential and all teaching must reference cultural and social aspects and be made relevant to the greater learning process. You must be able to lead by example with a hands-on approach. We will ask to see your own drawings and we will expect a high standard.

You should be able to teach children:

• to use line and tone towards an understood representational conclusion.
• to develop and manipulate ideas relevant to the visual outcome.
• to demonstrate developmental research and thinking in the form of a sketchbook.
• to teach colour theory and colour mixing and demonstrate how to control materials

By the end of Year 9, we want all of our pupils to have mastered the basics of drawing and painting and to have a secure knowledge of Art History. We would expect a large number of pupils to take Art at GCSE and later at A level.

The Art Department has two large Art rooms in our newly refurbished building. They are equipped with Mac computers and there will be access to a whole suite of Macs in an additional computer room later this year.

For an ambitious and dedicated professional this role represents an exciting challenge and a great chance to help build a school that will demonstrate that all children can learn how to draw, paint and converse about the history of Art, irrespective of background. This is achieved in many private schools. We feel we can do it too.

This post could suit an experienced current HoD, an aspiring one, or even an outstanding NQT.

If you have any questions at all, or just want a chat, please contact the school and ask for the Headmistress. Don't be shy. She would be delighted to talk with you about the position.

Either e-mail the Headmistress at kbirbalsingh@mcsbrent.co.uk or ring the school on 020 8795 3183.

To apply, in the first instance, simply send some photos of your own art work and some examples of work by Year 7s you have taught to office@mcsbrent.co.uk.

Closing date: Noon, Monday 6 October 2014
Interviews to be held at the school on Friday 10 October 2014

We are committed to the principles of safeguarding for all children and equality of opportunity. All appointments are subject to satisfactory reference and DBS check.