Head of Art

Working at MCS

There are many benefits to working at Magdalen College School. Founded in 1480 by William of Waynflete, the school has a rich history and an enviable location at the heart of Oxford beside the River Cherwell.

MCS is one of the country’s leading independent day schools. Shaped by its Christian Collegiate foundation and links with the university city of which it is part, it aims to inspire in all its pupils a desire to learn, flourish and serve.

The School will celebrate its 550th anniversary in 2030. The current generation of MCS staff and pupils wish to ensure that we shape a school that is able to flourish for at least another half millennium, and hopefully many more beyond. There are around 950 pupils, boys aged 7-18 and Sixth Form girls, and 350 members of staff who learn and work on the School’s central Oxford site.

To learn more about the opportunities and advantages of working at MCS, please refer to the attached ‘Recruitment Pack (Head of Art)’.

The Role

The school is seeking to appoint a Head of Art from 1st September 2025 to lead and inspire in both the curricular and co-curricular work of our busy and thriving Art department and the wider school. The role would be most suitable for an experienced teacher wishing to work full-time, but part-time applications may be considered.

The Department

The Art Department consists of two full time and two part time Art teachers, an Artist in Residence and a full-time technician who form a close-knit team sharing ideas and resources freely. Communication, adaptability, hard work and a good sense of humour are fundamental to the department’s success.

The Art department at Magdalen College School is a busy, vibrant and stimulating area with many pupils choosing to spend a significant amount of time during lunch break and after school working on the development of their projects. We also provide many opportunities for enrichment through photography and scholarship clubs; the weekly life drawing class; trips and visiting artist workshops; the Arts Festival; and entries into local and national competitions. Art is a popular and successful subject and teaching takes place in a suite of four well-lit studios, a darkroom, a computer suite and a DT lab, which are all equipped with interactive screens that wirelessly mirror the teacher’s Microsoft Surface. The department has a kiln and three printing presses.

Please see the attached ‘Recruitment Pack (Head of Art)’ for more information about the Art Department.

The Candidate

We are looking for an outstanding Art teacher to lead, manage and administrate Art in the Senior School. The successful candidate will:

• take a keen interest in the welfare of pupils and show clear commitment to safeguarding children;
• be a well-qualified graduate of Art or a related discipline;
• lead, manage and develop a successful Art department in a leading independent school;
• show clear enthusiasm for teaching Art, and plan and teach engaging lessons from Year 7 to Upper Sixth and university application preparation;
• contribute fully to the wider life of the school, such as through games, music, drama, CCF or other activities;
• act as the pastoral tutor to a Senior School houseroom (tutor group);
• manage the team of Art teachers, the full-time technician, and the Artist in Residence;
• participate in the staff review and appraisal process and the co-ordination of professional development within the department;
• develop engaging schemes of work for teaching Art to bright pupils;
• update and oversee the implementation of department policies on assessment, health and safety, and other relevant issues;
• organise all public and internal examinations in Art (AQA for GCSE and A Level)
• prepare, submit and control the annual Department budget;
• organise or delegate the organisation of trips and other co-curricular activities involving the department;
• maintain effective communication throughout the department by means of formal and informal meetings;
• have responsibility for the display of artworks (including the maintenance of department displays, annual re-hang of other display areas on site, organisation of Arts Festival events such as exhibitions and workshops);
• work closely with the Head of Design Technology, which is taught in Years 7 and 8
• liaise with colleagues in the Junior School who lead the teaching of Art;
• support the progress of all pupils studying Art by taking a role in departmental support, enrichment and partnerships sessions;
• set clear expectations for pupil behaviour within an encouraging classroom environment;
• have excellent written and spoken communication skills and communicate effectively with pupils, parents, staff and the local community;
• have sound IT skills;
• have the ability to work collaboratively and effectively as part of a wider team;
• display a high level of attention to detail;
• work hard to support pupil progress;
• be willing to take part in continuing professional development;
• respond positively to feedback.

The Head of Art will report to the Deputy Head (Academic), and ultimately to the Master, for the proper discharge of his or her duties.

Remuneration

The school currently has its own salary scale, and salaries are substantially more generous than those in the maintained sector; there is also a relocation allowance on a sliding scale, by agreement with the Master and Bursar, and dependent on current location. The school also operates a cycle to work scheme, and travel loans are available. MCS offers teaching staff a choice of pension arrangements; a Defined Contribution scheme with an employer contribution of 23.68% or the Teachers’ Pension Scheme with a salary sacrifice arrangement. Staff may move between the two schemes as suits their needs. The Master will discuss the pension with any offer of appointment.

Application Process

Candidates should submit the following two documents to the Recruitment Officer, Miss Yelena Molcanova (recruitment@mcsoxford.org), which can be found here.

1. MCS Application Form for Teaching and Support Staff
2. CV (Curriculum Vitae)

All documentation should be sent no later than Thursday 14th November, at midday. The school’s preferred method of communication is by email and it will not be necessary to send a hard copy of the documents by post.

References may be taken up in advance. If you do not wish for your references to be called for at this stage, please make that clear on the reference section of the application form.

Interviews

We anticipate holding interviews on Friday 22nd November, which will include a taught lesson and a 5-minute presentation on the candidate’s vision for Art at MCS. We will be in contact with shortlisted candidates by telephone. Please be aware that all shortlisted candidates will be requested to complete a ‘Self-Disclosure’ form before attending their interview. We reserve the right to interview and appoint before the above dates.

Magdalen College School is committed to the safeguarding of pupils, and any offer of employment will be subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure, the receipt of satisfactory references, the school’s pre-employment medical questionnaire, plus sight of relevant ID documentation and degree certificate(s). The enhanced DBS check is due to this role being exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.