Head of Strings – September 2025

Music is central to the all-round ethos of the school and large numbers of pupils are involved in making music on a regular basis each week. Music has purpose-built facilities on the edge of the campus. The department is inclusive and facilitates music making amongst all pupils. A wide-ranging series of concerts occur throughout the academic year.

All pupils have access to a wide range of musical opportunities, through teaching in the classroom, co-curricular activities, trips, concerts and events. Pupils flourish within the department due to the range of opportunities available, the supportive attitude of their peers, and the direction of inspirational staff. Participation in the department’s activities challenges pupils to develop their talents and broaden their interests, to become confident in themselves, and to be tolerant and appreciative of others.

Academic Music is taught from Year 7 to Year 9. A healthy number of pupils continue to GCSE (Edexcel) and A Level (Edexcel). Pupils regularly go on to study music at university and conservatoire level. Many pupils take ABRSM, Trinity, LCM and Rock School examinations, many beyond grade eight to diploma level.

The Music Department will consist of the Director of Music, Assistant Director of Music (Academic), two Teachers of Music (one of whom also fulfils other responsibilities within the College), over 30 Visiting Music Teachers and a Music Administrator.

The department also employs a full time Head of Performance and accompanist to work regularly with our music scholars and most advanced musicians (grade 8 and above). The remainder of the accompaniment for concerts and examinations is shared between the Director of Music and the Assistant Director of Music. There will also be the addition of a Head of Strings in 2025.

Co-curricular Music
There is a large co-curricular programme on offer at Epsom College which can be viewed here. The ethos of the department is to provide musical enrichment to all pupils but also provide a suitable programme that stretches the most able musicians.

Choral Music
Singing is central to the musical culture of Epsom College, and everyone participates in communal singing throughout the academic year. All pupils joining the Lower School sing in a choir throughout their first year, and the whole of the Senior School participates in the fiercely competitive annual Inter-House Choral Competition.

The two large chapel choirs (Senior and Lower School) are school’s foremost vocal groups, and around 10% of the College sing in one of our chapel choirs. They enjoy opportunities such as tours abroad, recording projects and performances at world renowned venues. Recent highlights include trips to Southwark Cathedral and St Paul’s Cathedral, a tour to the Vatican, and recording a Christmas album (listen here).

We provide pathways for elite singers to progress on a national level. We have 8 singers representing the College in the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain and have extensive experience preparing pupils for Oxbridge choral scholarship auditions. Our Head of Performance, Gill Ford, was a repetiteur with English National Opera, and supports pupils with one-to-one performance sessions in preparation for competitions such as the Rotary Young Musician competition and the Sutton Music Festival.

There are also several opportunities for singers interested in more modern styles of music. The Barbershop and Acapella groups are high-quality but inclusive environments for boys and girls respectively to sing in close harmony groups. We have termly Extravaganza concerts which make use of our lights, staging, and smoke machines to transform Big School into our very own pop concert venue, and we put on a large-scale school musical every year – recent musicals include Shrek, The Addams Family, and Les Misérables. Our brand-new Music Studio is another outlet for pop singers – select elite musicians get an opportunity to record album-style projects with our Head of Music Technology, who has worked at top London studios.

Instrumental Music
There is a strong culture of high-quality music-making at Epsom College across all age groups, and pupils can flourish across a wide variety of disciplines.

Instrumentalists interested in large ensembles are thoroughly supported at Epsom, with a weekly Symphony Orchestra, Concert Band, Big Band, and Funk Band for our older musicians, while the Lower School Orchestra and Junior Blues help prepare our younger musicians to develop their skills. In addition, our most committed instrumentalists have the chance to play alongside professional musicians as part of the orchestra for the yearly Choral Society concert and the School Musical, which this year is Les Misérables. Many of our musicians are members of youth orchestras or RCM programmes.

For solo musicians, our expert Visiting Music Teachers help prepare our pupils for instrumental exams and our weekly recital series in Chapel. There are further solo opportunities in our evening year-group concerts, with individual support from our Head of Performance and Staff Accompanists, and our top soloists are regular features in competitions such as the Sutton Music Festival and the Rotary Young Musician Competition.

Chamber music is experiencing a surge of growth at Epsom in recent years, with a fully bespoke programme created each year to suit our most talented and dedicated musicians. As well as internal performances in our recital series and the yearly Chamber Concert, these groups compete in the national Pro Corda chamber music competition. In 2024, Epsom College had four groups reach the semi-finals, and one group reached the national finals.

Departmental Principles and Aims

• To enrich the lives of pupils through an array of musical experiences which foster a lifelong interest and appreciation of music.
• To create opportunities that stretch the most advanced musicians and inspire pupils to make music of the highest quality.

Distinctive Characteristics of the Department

• An inclusive approach to music both in terms of musical experience of the pupils and breadth of style.
• There is a particularly strong culture of singing at Epsom College. This ranges from chapel choirs (which 10% of the school sing in) and close harmony groups to communal singing and entire year group choirs.

We seek to appoint an outstanding musician and an inspiring teacher to join a thriving Music Department and lead string tuition from September 2025.

The Head of Strings will plan and deliver our chamber music programme, alongside the Head of Performance, and will be at the heart of our orchestral programme, attending rehearsals and running sectionals for the Symphony Orchestra. They will also support the Lower School Orchestra, a mixed-ability ensemble which nurtures our young players and develops their orchestral skills.

In this part-time position, the Head of Strings can expect to be in the school for three days a week but the school values enormously the expertise of experienced and active professional musicians, and every effort will be made to accommodate candidates who seek to maintain performing commitments whilst fulfilling this role.

Head of Strings is required to:

• Teach up to 14 students per week, including those at and beyond diploma level.
• Prepare students for ABRSM and Trinity exams, GCSE and Pre-U recitals, as well as national ensemble and conservatoire auditions.
• Coach ensembles and participate in other musical events as requested by the Director of Music.
• Prepare students for concerts, festivals, and competitions, encouraging them to seize opportunities to develop their musicianship.
• Collaborate with the Director of Music to develop string ensembles and provide recitals, workshops, and masterclasses for string players at Epsom.
• Assess, record, and report on the development, progress, and attainment of students as required.
• Build active relationships with our feeder school community and occasionally visit them for assemblies or workshops.
• Organise or oversee an annual Strings Festival Day in collaboration with the Marketing Department.
• Raise the profile of Epsom’s Music Department within the wider community, encouraging potential string players to see Epsom as a place where they can reach their musical potential.
• Maintain professional conduct as a College teacher, ensuring good order and discipline among students and safeguarding their health and safety, both on College premises and during authorized College activities elsewhere.
• Interview prospective String teachers alongside the Director of Music.
• Ensure that all visiting String Teachers complete their reports on time.
• Meet and advise potential candidates before music scholarship auditions, encouraging suitable candidates to apply.
• Advise the Director of Music on the suitability of candidates auditioning for music scholarships.
• Monitor the progress of string music scholars and address any issues they encounter.
• Work closely with the Music Department’s Music Administrator to ensure the smooth operation of the department.
• Undertake any training required by the College to adapt to changing requirements or to fulfill statutory or regulatory obligations.

Epsom College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.

No job description can fully cover all aspects of the role and consequently the responsibilities are likely to evolve and change over time. This description gives an overall view of the position.

Essential

• A proven track record as an accomplished musician;
• The ability to inspire, motivate and enthuse young people in their music-making;
• Evidence of integrity, honesty, energy, and stamina with a sense of humour and an enabling attitude;
• Good oral and written communication skills.

Desirable

• A background in performance training, such that they could help coach performance skills;
• Functional keyboard skills that permit providing support for pupils in lessons and rehearsals if required;
• The ability to arrange appropriate music for string players of a wide range
• The ability to teach a second string instrument (e.g. violin and viola)

In order to arrive at a decision the selection panel may enhance any or all of the desirable criteria.

Salary: circa £27,000 per annum working 3 days per week across the College timetable (FTE 45,700 per annum)

Hours: The School day is 8.30am-6.00pm. Regular commitments (such as rehearsals are fixed) but 1-2-1 teaching offers a degree of flexibility across the week.

Holidays: Statutory holiday entitlement provided and included in the above salary, to be taken during each school holiday in accordance with the published dates in the school calendar.

Pension: Aviva Pension Trust for Independent Schools (APTIS) defined contribution scheme is offered.

School Fee Discount: Generous school fee discount available subject to qualifying conditions

Health Care plan: Offered to staff subject to qualifying conditions

Dining Facilities and Refreshments: Whilst at work a free meal and refreshments are available when the dining room is open;

Health Fitness and Wellbeing: Free use of Fitness suite and swimming pool are available to staff at certain times;

Cycle to Work/Parking: Following a qualifying period, the College offers a cycle to work loan scheme. Free car parking for staff is available on campus;

Computer Loan: Following a qualifying period, the College offers a computer loan scheme.

In compliance with statutory safer recruitment regulations, this post will be offered subject to receipt of satisfactory written references, pre-placement medical assessment, proof of appropriate qualifications, a check of online search engines and websites of publicly available information that does not identify the candidate as potentially unsuitable to work within a school setting, a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service and overseas police check if appropriate, as well as confirmation that the successful candidate is able to work in the UK. Prior to interview, an online search of internet search engines, websites and other publicly available and accessible platforms to ascertain applicant’s suitability to work within a school environment will be undertaken on candidates that have been shortlisted. Please note whilst the Enhanced DBS check will be paid by the College if an overseas police check is required it will be at the cost of the successful applicant.

Applicants are required to complete the Application for Employment Form available from our website www.epsomcollege.org.uk. To comply with safeguarding procedures when working in a school, CVs cannot be accepted. Applicants should refer to the Recruitment, Selection and Disclosure policy on the College website.

Applicants are encouraged to contact Paul Johnson Hyde, Director of Music, paul.johnson-hyde@epsomcollege.org.uk if they have any questions about the role.
Applications will be assessed in order of receipt and interviews and appointment may occur at any stage after applications are received. Please apply as soon as possible
The School is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, diversity and inclusion. We are committed to attracting and retaining the very best staff, ensuring that our staff body reflects the diversity of our students and local community

Closing date 9am, 2 March 2025