Head of Music – Secondary School, The Arbor School, Dubai, UAE – August 2025

We are looking for a Secondary Head of Music to lead, plan, deliver and assess the teaching of Music, Music Technology and Drama from Year 7 to Year 13. The successful candidate should have an excellent track record at GCSE and A-level and be competent at incorporating authentic inquiry and ecological principles into their teaching as well as developing a passion for the Arts across the school.

We are looking for an experienced leader with a passion for this growing subject to enhance and develop our music and drama curriculum inside and outside the classroom. The successful applicant will be able to teach students of all abilities as well as demonstrate a proven track record of securing outstanding student outcomes. Proficient and experienced in teaching Music and Music Technology ideally with experience of teaching across GCSE/iGCSE and A Level or IB. 

Enough For All, For Ever 

The Arbor School opened in 2018 with a very different vision of what education could and should be – experiential, authentic and inspired by the natural beauty, human ingenuity, and profound ecological and social challenges of the Arabian Peninsula.  

The cultivation of a learning community uniquely committed to understanding and restoring the health of ecological and human communities as interconnected parts of a whole requires equal parts optimism, ambition, and humility. A fundamental belief in the inherit goodness of people and their capacity to act with empathy and compassion underscores the sense of hope that is fundamental to learning for a sustainable future. The resilience and determination to tackle challenges that have grown to global proportion is essential to finding sustainable solutions and orchestrating the social changes needed to grow them to scale. The realisation that comes from recognising that we are all students – never a master – drives our commitment to ignite a lifelong love of learning. 

Recognising the interconnected nature of the cognitive, affective and participative domains, and their roles in shaping learning, we are pursuing a holistic approach to teaching and learning, designed to prepare learners:  

• to understand the interconnected concepts of sustainability, individual and collective well-being, and environmental and social justice; 
• to find purpose, meaning and joy in their interactions with the natural world and with each other, and to seek to understand people who are different to themselves; and 
• to experience a sense of accomplishment and self-efficacy through their actions at home, in school and in the wider world. 

JOB SUMMARY 

The successful candidate will be proficient and experienced in leading and teaching Music and Music Technology, ideally with experience of teaching across GCSE/iGCSE and A Level or IB. You will form an integral component of our creative team with responsibilities across KS3, KS4 and KS5 as well as working closely with the Primary School. You will develop and review the Music curriculum and schemes of work at KS3, KS4 and KS5 alongside the current team of teachers. 

The successful candidate will lead the preparation, delivery and evaluation of schemes of work for the school in accordance with the National Curriculum requirements; with a particular focus on challenge, pace, high order questioning and thinking skills to facilitate students accessing the highest grades at KS3, KS4 and KS5. They will enhance the music and arts programme overseeing music inside and outside the curriculum liaising with peripatetic teachers, overseeing school musical and creating a strong music ECA programme. A strong passion for music across the school will be created identifying students with interest and talent, providing opportunities for performances and ensuring an inclusive approach to support all students. 

THE ARBOR PROMISE 

Arbor teachers are a part of a community which is inclusive, fun-loving, and active. Arbor teachers enjoy authentic friendships with their colleagues, positive relationships with school leaders, who care for their wellbeing, and are a team in the true sense. Arbor teachers are resilient in the face of challenge, are stable and calm in the face of change, and creative and flexible when solving problems. Arbor teachers bring their passions and interests to enrich our school and are clear that there is an expectation to do so. We commit to meeting agreed deadlines, to communicating proactively with an assumption of positive intent and share a passion to provide an education of the highest quality to our students. 

REQUIRED CANDIDATE PROFILE: 

• Native-level English language skills 
• Bachelor’s degree in Music or similar, with a PGCE in Education with QTS or equivalent 
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience teaching Music/Drama in the UK or a reputable British school overseas 
• A track record of outstanding GSCE and/or A Level examination results 
• A track record of outstanding teaching and learning and an ability to create a caring and nurturing classroom environment 
• Post Grade 8 piano skills 

REMUNERATION: 

Competitive tax-free salary, school provided accommodation, free school places for children, private medical insurance, annual airfares, and end of contract gratuity as per the UAE labour law. 

APPLICATION: 

To apply for this position please complete the application on TES and upload: 

• An up-to-date CV with a recent photograph to be included. 
• A letter of application, no longer than two pages in length, which outlines your educational philosophy and suitability for the Arbor School. 

The Arbor School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all the students in our care and expects all applicants to share this commitment. We hold ourselves to a high standard of effective safer recruiting practices with specific attention to child protection. All appointments are subject to CV and qualification checks, interview, identity checks, criminal record checks, and successful references. 

All appointments are subject to the approval of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.