Head of Drama for the Senior School

Runnymede College is a private non-denominational British school in Madrid offering a British education to boys and girls of all nationalities from the age of two to eighteen. The education offered follows the British National Curriculum.

Founded as a private school in September 1967, the primary school was inaugurated in 1987, and since 1990, the whole School has been located in La Moraleja, in the north of Madrid. The School has been restructured and divided into Pre-Prep, Prep (Years 4 to 8) and Senior School (Years 9 to 13).

Academic levels are high at Runnymede College. In June 2024, 64% of our students achieved A-A* at A level, with 98% of grades being A*-C. This is particularly impressive when compared with the 49% of A*-A grades achieved at independent (private) schools in England this year. In addition, 70% of our pupils gained A*-A grades at IGCSE. Once again, this is a truly excellent achievement when compared with the 60% of A*- A grades at GCSE obtained in the English independent (private) school sector.

In the graduating class of 2024, Top-ranking UK universities welcoming this year’s graduates include St Andrews, Imperial, UCL, LSE, Edinburgh and Bath. Students in the US have already started their higher education at Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, NYU, UPenn and Cornell, amongst other excellent colleges.

A number of our students will be staying in Spain, at top-notch places including ICADE, IE and Navarra; others will continue their education elsewhere in Europe in world-leading institutions in France, Italy and the Netherlands. 3 of our students will be taking a gap year to continue their sporting achievements in golf, football and rowing.

The school is looking to recruit a well-qualified and inspirational Head of Drama to join our Senior School from September 2025.

The Drama department follows the CIE specification at IGCSE and AQA at A-Level.

Drama has really woven itself into the fabric of Runnymede’s academic and extra-curricular life. It not only gives pupils the chance to develop their performance and public speaking skills, it also reinforces their team-building, creative and analytical proficiency.

The Drama department counts with a modern multi-purpose room shared with the Music Department with a small theatre area which has become the creative and cultural hub of the school. Here our pupils are encouraged to unleash their imagination and help create the best possible performances.

Alongside the academic curriculum, you will stage a play every year, giving our pupils the chance to perform.

The successful candidate will have a passion for the subject and will be a positive and enthusiastic classroom practitioner with excellent interpersonal skills and should exhibit ongoing interest in the subject with students on a day-to-day basis.

Form Tutor opportunities are available for suitably experienced and motivated candidates. Those interested in being considered for these exciting pastoral leadership opportunities should include this in their letters of application.

The successful applicant will have: 

• a good honours degree in Drama, Theatre Arts, English or a related subject from a British University
• a PGCE or equivalent teaching qualification
• recent experience teaching KS3, IGCSE Drama and A Level Drama & Theatre
• willingness to contribute to the extra-curricular life of the school
• an excellent classroom practitioner with a genuine passion for Drama, able to lead by example and inspire students
• experience of successful and innovative teaching in Drama
• previous experience as Head of Department and attaining excellent exam results
• high levels of student motivation and engagement
• the ability to modify learning strategies to target the needs of individual students 
• high expectations of pupils’ effort and behaviour, and facilitate this with proven classroom management skills 
• people oriented - building positive relationships; good team player; excellent communication skills, with the ability to form strong professional relationships with students, staff and parents 
• be organised and able to prioritise to meet deadlines 
• be a native level English speaker 
• have a good working knowledge of ICT systems and the application of ICT in the classroom (Google Classroom & Zoom) and be prepared to use iPads as a learning tool

Other preferable but not essential criteria: 

• previous experience of an international school

Please complete the TES online application form and attach your CV and covering letter.

Final date for applications- Friday 31st January 2025

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and first round interviews will take place via Zoom on a rolling basis. The final round interview will be held face-to-face at Runnymede College in Madrid. The School reserves the right to make an appointment before the closing date if a suitable candidate is found. If you have not heard from us within six weeks of submitting your application, please assume you were unsuccessful this time.

We are an equal opportunities employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Hiring decisions are based on skills, experience and attributes required for the role. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons.

Runnymede 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 check with past employers and the ACRO Criminal Records Office.