Head of Secondary Music

Nord Anglia Education, Inc.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 170,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Nord Anglia Education’s Dover Court International School in Singapore seeks an outstanding Head of Secondary Music to lead high-quality teaching and learning across Years 7–12, with IGCSE/IB offerings and a Juilliard collaboration shaping professional development.

The role requires a strong track record in curriculum leadership, inclusion for learners with diverse needs and English as an additional language, and a commitment to a vibrant co-curricular music programme and safeguarding.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Music or Education required.
• PGCE, QTS or international equivalent.
• Proven track record with at least 2 years’ teaching experience.
• Experience in international schools and diverse learner groups welcome.
• Strong curriculum delivery and leadership in music across pathways.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Music department and oversee curriculum across Years 7–12 (IGCSE/IB).
• Drive high-quality teaching and learning with focus on inclusion and student outcomes.
• Lead recruitment, development and performance management of music staff.
• Support Safeguarding and foster collaboration with Juilliard partnership and external programmes.
• Moderate and monitor assessment data to ensure progress for all students.

Skills

Teaching leadership

Curriculum design

Inclusive education

Team leadership

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Music or Education

PGCE / QTS or international equivalent

CRB/Background disclosure clearance

Work eligibility in Singapore / visa compliance

Job description

School: Dover Court International School

Job Purpose
An outstanding and inspirational Head of Secondary Music isrequiredforAugust 2027. We offer a contextualised English National Curriculum in Years 7 and 8, Edexcel Pearson GCSE Music in Key Stage 4, and IB Music in our Sixth Form. The school has dedicated specialist music facilities, including well-resourced teaching spaces, practice rooms and a recording studio.

We have curated an excellent culture of performance and are looking for the right candidate to continue development, alongside a continued focus on best practice in teaching and learning. We have talented students who enjoy performing, collaborating and exploring different genres and host weekly performance opportunities at lunchtimes, alongside performance events, including an annual Battle of the Bands. We participate in events in Singapore and offer an established peripatetic programme across the school, as well as vibrant music co-curricular. As a Nord Anglia Education school, we benefit from an established collaboration with The Julliard School, New York. Through this collaboration staff have access to specialist training and teaching resources, and the school benefits from annual visits from Juilliard alumni who work with all stakeholders in our community.

As a school with inclusion at its heart, candidates with experience in supporting learners withadditionallearning needs and English as an additional Language are particularly encouraged to apply. Teachers of Music teach across all three of our learning pathways so the experience or desire to work with a diverse range of learners is essential. The successful candidate will be passionate about leadinghigh-qualityteaching and learning in our inclusive school and committed to making a difference to the lives of the young people in their care. They will be a reflective practitioner and an effective collaborator, relentless in the pursuit of ‘better’ practice.

A facultyleadership role (Head of Creative Arts) may be available for the right candidate. Candidates are stronglyadvised toindicaterelevant skills,experienceand interest in this role in applications.

About the Role

Engagement and Interaction – School Ambassador to Internal Community

• Fully support the school’s Safeguarding policy, following reportingproceduresandcompletingprofessionallearningrequired.
• Topromotehighstandardsoflearning amongst thestudents and your faculty team.
• Tosupportbehaviourandrelationshipspolicy and practice.
• Toworkwithotherkeyfunctionsoftheschoolasneeded,e.g. Admissions and Marketing, Finance.
• LiaisewithTutors/ProgressLeadersregardinganystudents causing concern, initiate intervention.
• LiaisewithLearningSupportDeptregardingprovisionmappingof Individual Education Plans for students.
• LiaisewithEALDeptregardingfurthersupportrequiredforstudents.
• Createopportunitiestosharebestpracticeacrosstheschool.
• Promoteandmaintainaspiritofgoodwillandco-operation amongst faculty and the wider secondary school.

Learning and Teaching

• In collaboration with the Deputy Head of Secondary, deploy staff to ensure the best use of staff skills and experience.
• Ensureteachersinthefacultyareprovidinghigh-qualityteaching and learning experiences for students through the implementation of the DCIS definition of high quality learning and Learning Principles.
• LiaisewiththeDeputyHeadofSecondary/HeadofSixth Formon professional learning and development needs for subjectteachers.
• LeadthePerformanceManagementprocessesforsubjectstaff.
• Useassessmentdatatooverseeacademicinterventionfor students so all make progress.
• Ensure subject teachers are kept up to date with and share informationonnationalandinternational developmentsinall curriculum areas, and with advances in teaching practice, pedagogy and methodology;
• Promoteacultureofcollaborationwithinthesubjectandwider secondary school.
• Identify both good practice and areas for improvement todevelopaFacultyImprovementPlan,inconjunction with the Head of Faculty and Deputy Head of Secondary.
• Conduct new staff lesson visits and learning walks with the purpose of always striving for ‘better’ learning experiences for students and maintaining consistently high expectations.
• Drive the ongoing use and development of Office 365 and Ed Tech within the faculty.

Planning and Preparation

• LiaisewithISAMSadministratortomaintainsubjectacademic records of all students.
• Collatedata/gradestomonitorandtrackprogress,analysetrends within the faculty.
• Supporttargetsettingprocedureswithinthefaculty.
• Ensurethatthecurriculummeetsqualificationrequirementsbut is also innovative, engaging and creative, inspiring students toachieve.
• Lead the Faculty Improvement Planning process including the reviewofexternalexaminationsandstudent progressoutcomes, and the setting and monitoring of annual improvement targets.
• Ensurethatassessmentdataisaccuratethroughaprocessof moderation and analysis.
• Monitorandevaluatecurriculumprovisionandcontinuityforstudents.
• Monitor the quality of homework in the faculty in terms of consistency,relevance,markingandfeedback.
• ParticipateintheformulationofSecondarystrategicplanningand policy creation and development.
• MeetregularlywiththeSSLTtocollaborativelydevelop,monitor and evaluate the subjectcurriculumprovision forthe secondaryschool.
• EnsuretheProgrammesofStudy,schemesofLearning andcurriculum maps are up to date and reviewed annually.
• Liaisewithothersubjectsandfacultiestocreateinterdisciplinary opportunities.
• LiaisewithPrimarycolleaguestoensurecontinuitywithstudent learning supporting smooth transition.
• Work with the SSLT, Head of Sixth Form and Exams Officer to supportpreparationfordeliveryofexternal examinationsIGCSE and IB courses.
• Oversee deployment of staff for faculty wide CCA provision, intervention or supporting in other areas (eg. sport, Music)

Professional and Personal Development

• Leadtheorganisationanddeliveryofsubjectspecificprofessionallearning.
• Ensurethehigheststandardsofprofessionalismaremaintained.
• Actasapositiverolemodel,bydemonstrating ourcorevaluesin interactions with staff, parents and students;
• Liaisewiththe facultytoidentifyProfessionalLearningopportunities.
• Workwiththeteamtoproducetheannualresourcerequisition.
• Chairsubjectmeetingsasappropriateandkeepaccurate recordofminutes.
• Lead in the organisation of subject contribution to curriculum focuseddays,festivals,Houseevents,assemblies,publicspeakingetc.
• Leadtheplanningofsubject relatedtrips.
• Ensurethesubjectenjoyshighprofileviaexternalcommunication and social media working in collaboration with Marketing.
• Ensuretherearegoodqualitydisplaysinclassroomsandpublic areas which support learning.
• Overseethesubjectsectionsofcurriculumguides/booklets; update school handbooks.
• Invest in personal development and leadership growth through Professional Reflection and Growth processes.
• Overseeparentalcontactsonsubjectmatters,includingfollowup on reports, parent student teacher conferences etc.

Music Specific Leadership Responsibilities

• Support the recruitment, onboarding and monitoring of instrumental teachers.
• Ensure the health and safety requirements of the teaching, rehearsal and performing spaces, and musical equipment is in line with NAE guidance and liaise with the Operations team on all H&S matters.
• Maintain the servicing needs of all musical equipment.
• Ensure music retains a high profile in the community through performances, collaborative productions, concerts and recitals.
• Lead our participation in collaborative music events with other schools in Singapore.
• Ensure that our Juilliard collaboration is maintained in the best interest of students and faculty members.
• Laise with the Regional Performing Arts lead on NAE Global Campus opportunities to ensure your students are offered participation in opportunities available to them.

About You

• Bachelor’s degree or higher qualification in a relevant field.
• PGCE, QTS, or an internationally recognized teaching qualification.
• Proven track record with at least 2 years’ teaching experience
• A strong track record of curriculum delivery
• Experience in international schools, including working with groups of students with diverse additional educational needs and for whom English is an additional language.
• Qualifiedteacherwithexperienceteachinginaninternationalor intercultural environment.
• HoldacurrentEnhancedCriminalRecordsBureauDisclosurefor all countries lived in.
• Compliancewithvisarequirementsfor workinginSingapore.

About us
Established in 1972, Dover Court International School in Singapore is a leading inclusive international school with British heritage, serving international families, set on a green 12-acre site about 20 minutes from the Singapore CBD. Dover Court International School is a community with inclusion at its heart. With more than 2000 students aged 3 to 18, our unique Pathway programme enables us to provide an education that meets the needs of a diverse student population, ensuring all learners are appropriately supported and challenged in their learning.

In our Early Years we use a Reggio Emilia inspired approach. In Primary we are guided by the National Curriculum for England and the International Primary Curriculum. In Secondary we have IGCSE/GCSE, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and International BTEC qualifications. We also offer courses that focus on English, mathematics, life skills and employability through ASDAN programmes.

All students are involved in a wide range of co-curricular activities, mainly run by teaching staff. Resulting in a rich and varied co-curricular offer for our students, with our school active and competitive in the local international school sports league across a number of sports. The school has an extensive programme of residential trips starting in Year 3 up to the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award in Secondary.

Our unique approach enables us to prepare all students to flourish in our dynamic world, so they are active participants in a globally connected community, now and throughout life.

We are members of the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA) and are accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Dover Court is a strong, vibrant community, where all staff are well supported with access to a range of professional learning opportunities and a commitment to professional reflection and growth.

Safeguarding
Dover Court International School in Singapore is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including references from previous employers in accordance with our safer recruitment practice. Final interviews will be conducted in person or online, and they will explore candidates’ suitability to work with children.

The application timeline

Application window is open until27November 2026