The Portsmouth Grammar School is a leading co-educational school located in the historic heart of Portsmouth. We are very much a family school known for excellent teaching, superb pastoral care and wide-ranging co-curricular opportunities and offer an education across the age range from Pre-School to Sixth Form. 

We are seeking a dynamic, well-qualified and experienced teacher to lead our highly successful Music department from September 2026 or January 2027.

PGS is an all-through school from Pre-School to Sixth Form and the role holder will lead Whole School Music provision across all key stages and sectors of the school. The ability to teach Music at A Level and to support pupils in their higher education aspirations in Music and related subjects is essential.

The Portsmouth Grammar School has a national reputation for the range and quality of its music making and seeks a Director of Music who will be able to sustain and develop the school’s reputation for musical excellence, build on strong relationships with visiting professional musicians, and lead a talented collegiate team in the Music department in providing opportunities for all pupils to engage in the experience of making music.

We are looking for a Head of Department who is passionate and knowledgeable about their subject and able to communicate this with enthusiasm. To lead this busy and exciting department it is also important to demonstrate excellent interpersonal and organisational skills. The successful candidate must be open to promoting cross-curricular links with other department areas as appropriate.

The school offers excellent training and support to teachers at all stages of their career. PGS teachers convey passion for their subject and seek to maximise progress by knowing their pupils well and adapting their teaching accordingly. We are always looking to develop new ideas and approaches to teaching and are keen to incorporate the particular interests of members of staff into the overall curriculum scheme.

Outstanding teaching and learning at PGS are achieved by inspirational and creative teachers with excellent subject knowledge and the ability to use ICT and interactive resources to enhance learning. Teachers’ planning is informed by assessment for learning, ensuring all pupils make very good progress in each lesson. Our pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and understand how they can improve using constructive feedback provided by their teachers.

The successful applicant will be expected to contribute fully to the pastoral and co-curricular life of the school. It is an expectation that all teachers will have a tutor group or act as a co-tutor or cover tutor within the pastoral system.

The Portsmouth Grammar School Music Department is recognised nationally for its comprehensive program, featuring over 400 weekly lessons, extensive ensemble opportunities, and high-level collaborations with professional musicians including the Black Dyke Band, the London Mozart Players and the Royal Marines School of Music. The department, supported by specialist staff, has a dedicated "Rotunda" concert hall and boasts a strong choral tradition linked with Portsmouth Cathedral.

Please view our attached job description or linked recruitment pack (https://pgs.aflip.in/49fd4395e2.html) for more information about our Music department.

How to apply:

Candidates are asked to apply via MyNewTerm which is also linked to the related advert on the ‘Work With Us’ page of our PGS website.

Any informal enquires about the role or how to apply are welcome at recruitment@pgs.org.uk

The closing date will be midday on Thursday 7th May 2026 and interviews will be scheduled to take place in the week commencing 18th May with planned interview dates on Monday 18th or Tuesday 19th May 2026. Shortlisted candidates are asked to allow a whole day for the interview process, which will include teaching an observed lesson.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The School may carry out online searches on shortlisted applicants and applicants may be required to provide details of their online profile, including social media account names/handles, as part of their application.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The School is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions on a self-declaration form in advance of attending an interview (including those which are ‘spent’ unless they are ‘protected’ under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.