HEAD OF MUSIC/PERFORMING ARTS (Part Time)

The Job Moor Park benefits from outstanding facilities for the performing arts having opened a new Performing Arts Centre in September 2019. The school is looking to drive this part of the curriculum forwards and is able to be creative in how this area of the school is led. Music is at the heart of the school with many staff being passionate about this subject and we are therefore seeking a candidate with the skills and personality to harness the existing energy in this area of school life. For the right candidate, the role may also include the leadership of and involvement in other areas of performing arts, particularly drama. There is also the possibility of coordination our Saturday Smash programme, which includes a strong performing arts element. Details of this programme can be found on the school’s website. Moor Park is seeking a candidate who will fit into our culture of educational innovation and excellence. We are a staff room who value excellent and committed teaching and a school where colleagues value energy, innovation and mutually supportive relationships. We are looking to appoint an outstanding teacher and leader, someone who can inspire students across the age and ability range to achieve the best possible outcomes and receive the highest quality of teaching. Our pupils have enjoyed excellent results in various assessments at all levels in recent years including winning scholarships to some of the best senior schools in the country. The School Moor Park is an IAPS, co-educational, boarding and day school of Catholic foundation accepting pupils from 3 months to 13 years of age. Children from 3 months to rising-three are catered for in our Tick Tock nursery/child care setting which runs for 50 weeks in the year. Thereafter, children enter the Pre-prep until the end of Year 2. The Middle and Upper Schools complete a Moor Park education before the children leave to the full range of senior schools both locally and nationally, many with scholarships in the full range of disciplines despite being a non-selective school. In the last two years, In the last three years, 116 children have won a total of 98 scholarships and awards, an enviable record. One of our pupils recently secured a place at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and others have won music scholarships to schools such as Radley, Shrewsbury and Monmouth in recent years. Children have also won academic awards to Harrow, Radley and Shrewsbury (amongst others) in the last three years.

The school continues to develop its curriculum and teaching methods to encourage the eponymous Moor Park Mindsets from Nursery to Year 8. The effect of this innovative approach was noted in the school’s successful recent inspection in June 2019 when Moor Park was graded as being Excellent in all areas. Being a boarding school for the 8 to 13 year olds, the school operates on a 24/7 basis during term time and children take advantage of the beautiful surroundings and excellent facilities. The school is built around a magnificent 18th century country mansion in approximately 85 acres of stunning grounds, which include playing fields, woodland and a lake. It is situated just outside the market town of Ludlow in the beautiful Shropshire countryside. The Prep School The Prep School starts for children in Year Three and ends in Year Eight when children leave Moor Park to go to the senior school of their choice. The prep school is split up into the Middle School for Year Three to Five when children have a Form Teacher in charge of their pastoral care and academic progress and the Upper School from Year Six to Eight when children have a Tutor who guides them through the last three years of Moor Park. Each Tutor group is no bigger than ten pupils and is made up of children from Year Six to Year Eight. The curriculum is broad, offering challenge and opportunity for all: confidence can often grow from success in a small part of school life. Year Three follows naturally from the Pre-Prep, with much emphasis on literacy and numeracy, taught by the form teacher. As the children rise through the school they develop greater independence, being taught by subject specialists, enjoying a broad curriculum, which includes, for example, classics, IT & Computing, and PSHCE. French is taught in the Pre-Prep but becomes more of a core subject as children reach Year Four. Moor Park offers a wide, rich curriculum which challenges and supports all children. We aim to inspire children through an academic curriculum that strives to create original thinkers who are able to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s world: children who work independently, think concepts through carefully and pursue personal interests as far as possible. Performing Arts - Music Our firmly held belief is that Music should be available to all and enjoyed by everyone and that it is an essential part of the Moor Park curriculum, to be experienced both inside and outside the classroom. We have a dedicated Performing Arts Centre, which has a computer suite as well as teaching and practice rooms and a recording studio. Individual instrumental lessons, tailored to the age of the child, are taught by a team of highly experienced specialists. All of the orchestral instruments, as well as piano’, singing, music theory, guitar (both acoustic and electric) and drums are available as well as other instruments as required.

Among the instrumental chamber groups we have a Wind Ensemble, Flute Choir and Brass Ensemble, Junior Strings and Orchestra. Moor Park has a range of choirs running at any one time, meaning every child has a chance to be involved musically and enjoy the experience of making music with others.

The excellent Chapel Choir is in demand for BBC local broadcasts, weddings and services and regularly gives concerts raising money for charities, as well as singing regularly in the School Chapel. There are many opportunities for performance at Moor Park. We excel in both Trinity Guildhall and the Associated Board examinations

Performing Arts – Drama

All children have the opportunity to perform on stage on a regular basis as we believe that this breeds confidence. Every Year Group has its own annual production and all children are encouraged to be involved. These are important events in the school calendar and our Henderson Hall with lighting rig and flexible staging is often full: children may also be involved with back stage work, including lighting and sound.

Individual Speech and Drama lessons are offered and many of the children go on to achieve the higher grades although many take these lessons to improve public speaking skills or simply because they are fun. Class assemblies, reading match reports in assembly and other performance opportunities build confidence and encourage talent at every level. Moor Park is committed to provide pupils with the opportunity to achieve their full potential. While learning and developing a whole range of techniques, pupils develop their personality, interact with their peers, enjoy new skills and most of all have fun, in a lively and creative environment. In this way, pupils gain a confidence and self-belief, which will carry and support them throughout their lives. Each year there is the option to take part in the Hereford Performing Arts Festival and formal examinations, which are moderated by the New Era Academy of Speech and Drama and accredited by OFQUAL and the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulations. We currently enjoy a 100% pass rate in these examinations.

Past pupils have won Drama Scholarships and Exhibitions to

schools such as Shrewsbury, Stowe, Radley, Hereford

Cathedral School, Monmouth, Malvern College & Christ

College Brecon.

Y8 Improvision work in the Performing Arts Centre

Pre-Prep and Early Years The staff at Moor Park pride themselves on knowing every single child: their interests, their talents, even what makes them nervous and things that they struggle with. Whatever point your child is starting from, it is our goal to nurture their curiosity, develop their talents, stretch their boundaries and develop in them a confidence that ensures they feel ready to tackle anything. Activities are designed to engender in pupils a sense that learning is FUN! From Kindergarten to Year Two we aim to build solid foundations in the basic skills. In numeracy, we teach a practical based curriculum designed to give children confidence in their understanding of number, shape, space and measure. It is our belief that reading holds the key to knowledge and learning and great emphasis is placed on the development of the required skills to move on from the Pre-prep as a confident and independent reader. Of course, a great pre-prep education is about more than building firm academic foundations. Our wide variety of extra-curricular activities allows every child to try something new and develop their skills. We embrace an active and outdoor education and make the most of our wonderful grounds and dedicated Woodland School site. You will often see a child’s character emerging most effectively when they are allowed the time, space and freedom to just explore and discover. We were delighted to be deemed as Outstanding in all areas of our Early Years Provision by the ISI Inspectors in our June 2019 Inspection report. Performing Arts in the Pre Prep and Early Years We love music and singing in the Pre-Prep, and the introduction of a Pre-Prep choir for Year 1 and 2 has been a great success, with the children performing at both smaller and whole school events. Year 2 are taught to play the ukulele and we all look forward to their performances in the Spring Festival. Our newly introduced Mini-Music Maker classes for Kindergarten are a fun and active introduction to music for our youngest children and these feed well into the

Our Nursery, Tick Tock is an accredited ‘Sing and Sign’ nursery. In May 2018, we were awarded the centre of excellence award. Baby signing sessions are part of everyday interactions with our littlest children, aiding them in developing their pre-verbal communication and also part of circle time sessions with our Butterfly children. We have introduced Mini Music Maker sessions where the main emphasis is on learning through fun, relaxed multi-sensory activities for our youngest children, to more high energy, action packed sessions for our older children.

They enjoy learning action songs, playing circle games with parachutes, singing songs with puppets, tapping drums and shaking shakers with the group.

specialist taught music that continues throughout the Pre-Prep.

Drama is taught, in the Pre-Prep as part of the English curriculum. Role-play is a key learning tool for developing story writing skills, and drama games are often used to accompany PSHE and circle time sessions. There are many opportunities for the Pre-Prep children to perform across the year. Regular class assemblies allow the children to build their confidence in a familiar and safe setting, and the children enjoy hugely, our visits from ‘Open the Book’, who invite the children to join in performances of familiar bible stories.

Christmas is a special time of year in the Pre-Prep. Reception to Year 2 work hard on their wonderful Christmas production, which is performed to a large audience at the end of term. The show is always stolen by the Kindergarten children, who end the performance with their own Nativity. The Lent term is a time for variety, and each class perform, sing and dance in our Spring Festival. Many pupils start to study Speech & Drama in their early years at Moor Park. A team of dedicated staff ensure that individual and small group lessons are beneficial and rewarding.

Start Date The post is available from September 2021 but a start date could be delayed for the right candidate. The Local Area Shropshire is an extraordinary place to live and many families have found that they can bring up children in a safe and beautiful environment for a fraction of the cost of living in the South East. Moor Park is close to the historic town of Ludlow, well known for its high-end restaurants and food is a real feature of the area. Outdoor enthusiasts would also enjoy everything on offer. Property prices are still relatively low, for now, and we enjoy good relationships with the local estate agents who would be happy to help with a candidate looking to relocate.

How to Apply Please apply using the schools Application Form and send with covering letter to Mrs Alice McGarrity HR Administrator Moor Park School Richard’s Castle Ludlow Shropshire SY8 4DZ Email: hr@moorpark.org.uk Closing Date for Applications Thursday 24th June 2021

Moor Park is a special place for children to develop within a caring, nurturing environment, having fun and playing in the beautiful grounds. It is a truly co-educational experience with boys and girls being encouraged to work and play together. We believe that each child has their own specific needs and we help children grow in confidence whilst discovering their own talents.