Isaac Newton Academy – A Music Specialist School
At Isaac Newton Academy every student is a musician. Our Key Stage 3 students receive two hours of music teaching per week, one hour of core music and one hour of group instrumental tuition. They are taught in form groups.
During KS3 core music lessons we workshop a variety of styles of music from all over the world. We perform and compose as a whole class through singing, drumming and using a range of other instruments as authentically as possible. At KS3, classes become a beat-boxing troop, a choir, music technicians, African drummers, dhol groups, film composers, protest song-writers, Romantic Orchestras, band members and much more. The aim of this department is for every student to develop a love of different types of music and to become confident, creative and skilled musicians. This curriculum is also geared towards developing students’ musical identity in one or more areas along well-planned and well-trodden roots of progression from absolute beginner to expert A level proficiency without the requirement for additional peripatetic support.
Our instrumental project is a unique and exciting component of the music curriculum at Isaac Newton Academy. Every student is given an instrument to keep for the whole of KS3. Through this project every form group is transformed into a big band with 9 saxophonists, 4-5 trumpeters, 4-5 trombonists, 3 keyboard players, 3 guitarists, 2 drummers and 2 bassists. We all believe passionately that every student deserves to have this opportunity and we hope that this skill, in addition to supporting their school progress, will stay with the students of Isaac Newton Academy for the rest of their lives. So far it has been a huge success. The aim of this instrumental project is not to identify an elite ‘talented’ few and prepare them for a life as professional musicians. This project was designed to allow any student, regardless of prior experience, to access the highest points of KS4 music.
Our GCSE uptake and results place us in the top 5 comprehensive schools in the country. At KS4 we have a phenomenally high uptake for GCSE Music of roughly 30% - round about 7 times the national average. This year we have over 100 GCSE music students, an incredible number for a school with a cohort like ours, and we are always aiming to attract more. Our results are some of the best in the school with 98% of students passing over the last two years and half of students achieving grades 7-9.
We have 7 students in our A level class this year, all are using musical skills developed in school and none have had peripatetic music lessons.
We offer a varied and ever-growing enrichment programme for music with multiple choirs, a dhol group, soul bands, hip-hop brass bands, music production groups and more. These, combined with our curriculum lessons, contribute to performances around London (our students have performed four times at the Barbican and at Ronnie Scotts) and to our end of term concerts, which are always huge events in the Academy’s calendar. Our concerts traditionally have an audience of 450 and contain over 300 performers!
Isaac Newton Academy is an all through school and increasingly members of the music team teach in both the primary and the secondary phases. In additional to fantastic core music lessons that start in reception we also offer an instrumental project, starting in Y4, that allows students to learn trumpet, trombone or dhol in groups of 10 each week.
Job Description: Second in Music Department
Reporting to: Head of Department
Start date: September
Salary: Ark MPS (£29,064-£41.036) / UPR (£43,078-£46,326) plus TLR2c
Disclosure level: Enhanced
Key Responsibilities
• To ensure that music continues to be an active subject with joy, expression and creativity at its heart.
• To model outstanding music teaching and learning to the rest of the team across a range of key stages.
• To design, develop and continuously review the schemes of learning for an agreed cohort of students
• To line manage an agreed number of staff within the Music Department, conducting lesson observations, probation meetings, PD and offering general advice
• To run department/coaching meetings as directed by the HoD
• To lead on the planning and delivery of KS4 and KS5 in conjunction with the Head of Music.
• To retain the absolute commitment to inclusive music education that currently underpins our department and help ensure that all students can access music lessons.
• Establish lines of progression: To maintain excellent communication links with the HOD and the rest of the team to provide a through-line of progress from absolute beginner at KS2 to advanced musician at KS5.
• To ensure that different types of musician, with different ways of relating and responding to music have clear pathways of progression throughout the key stages.
• To organise both paper and digital resources relevant to KS4 & 5, including online resources such as Google Classroom.
• To ensure all schemes of learning at KS4 & 5 demonstrate clear provision for higher and lower Attaining (HA & LA) students
• To use the KS4 data analysis to keep abreast of trends within HA and LA students, as well as to address any emerging needs within key groups. To use this data to adapt current SoLs to reflect the needs of students
• To establish a culture of independent practice on Big Band instruments at KS3 and beyond
• To oversee the timely submission of KS4 & KS5 performance and composition coursework in line with the timelines agreed with the HoD.
• Any other tasks as directed by the Head of Department
General Responsibilities
· To deliver outstanding teaching, to ensure effective student learning in the subject and to achieve excellent results for the students
· To be a role-model and impact positively on the academy more widely
· To plan, resource and deliver imaginative, interactive and inspiring lessons that ensure that effective learning takes place and students make excellent progress
· To provide a nurturing and stimulating classroom and academy environment that helps students to develop as learners
· To maintain/establish positive behaviour for learning across the whole academy
· To contribute to the effective working of the academy
· To support students in the acquisition and development of learning dispositions and positive character traits
· To provide stimulating and enriching extra-curricular opportunities for students and potentially for members of the wider school community
· To be accountable for student progress and attainment levels in their own classes.
Outcomes and activities
Teaching and Learning
· With direction from the Head of Department, to plan and prepare effective teaching modules and lessons
· To teach engaging and effective lessons that motivate, inspire and involve students and improve student attainment
· To use regular assessments to monitor progress and set targets
· To respond accordingly to the results of such monitoring to differentiate intervention
· To utilise a full range of AfL strategies
· To maintain regular and productive communication with parents, to report on progress sanctions and achievements
· To promote reading and teach literacy skills.
Academy Culture
· To help create a strong academy community, characterised by consistent, orderly behaviour and caring, respectful relationships by maintaining a presence around the Academy
· To help develop an Academy culture and ethos that is utterly committed to achievement
· To demonstrate a commitment to equality of opportunity for all members of the Academy’s community
· To actively promote the Academy at all times
· To contribute to discussions at meetings
· To contribute to the writing and implementation of the Academy Improvement Plan
· To be active in issues of student welfare and support.
Other
· To be a form tutor and deliver tutorial, BRIDGES and PSHE sessions to the form group
· To undertake other various responsibilities as directed by the Head of Department or Principal
· To undertake the main professional duties of a teacher as set out in the ARK Schools pay and conditions of service document
· To meet the expectations of all INA staff as laid out in the Staff Expectations Policy
· To uphold all Academy polices with consistency and diligence.
Person Specification: Music Teacher
Qualification Criteria
· Qualified to degree level and above
· Qualified to teach (and work) in the UK.
Knowledge
· Up to date knowledge in the curriculum area KS3-KS5
· Understanding of the strategies needed to establish consistently high aspirations and standards of results and behaviour.
Experience
· Experience of raising attainment in a challenging classroom environment
· Evidence of continually improving the teaching and learning of their subject through schemes of work and extra-curricular activities.
Behaviours
· Passion for the subject
· High expectations for accountability and consistency
· Vision aligned with Ark’s high aspirations, high expectations of self and others
· A firm and constant belief in the unlimited potential of every student and a commitment to inclusive educational provision
· Motivation to continually improve standards and achieve excellence
· Commitment to the safeguarding and welfare of all students and providing equality of opportunity
· The ability to enthuse and inspire others
· The ability to consistently deliver outstanding lessons
· Effective and systematic behaviour management, with clear boundaries, sanctions, praise and recognition
· Excellent communication, planning and organisational skills
· Demonstrates resilience, motivation and commitment to driving up standards of achievement
· Acts as a role model to staff and students
· Commitment to regular and on-going professional development and training to establish outstanding classroom practice
· The ability to develop positive relations with students and adults
· The ability to work effectively alone and as a part of a team
· Excellent listening skills
· Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills and ICT skills
· Strong organisational and time management skills
· The ability to take personal responsibility, a readiness to reflect and self-evaluate, and the ability to change, develop and improve
· Confidence and self-motivation
· The ability to work well under pressure
· High levels of honesty and integrity
· A sense of humour and desire to have fun.
Other
· This post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check
· The post holder must be committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and to providing equality of opportunity.
Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in our academies. In order to meet this responsibility, we follow a rigorous selection process. This process is outlined here, but can be provided in more detail if requested. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.