Director of Drama

Cranleigh seeks to appoint, for September 2024, a well-qualified and inspirational teacher to lead the Drama Department.  This post provides an excellent opportunity for an experienced and innovative teacher with a proven track-record in public examinations at A Level and in directing high quality school productions.

The role will involve leading the teaching and learning of Drama across the School as well as leading all aspects of the co-curricular drama provision.  In addition to this leadership position, the successful candidate will also be expected to play a full role in the life of a busy and successful boarding school.

Cranleigh is a leading fully co-educational independent boarding and day Senior School consisting of around 700 girls and boys of 13 – 18 years of age. There is also a Preparatory School in close proximity. Cranleigh aspires to be a beacon of excellence in learning and teaching and is committed to the continuing professional development of all employees.

In line with its motto, Ex Cultu Robur, from Culture Comes Strength, Cranleigh has a rich heritage in the performing and creative arts. From former staff members, Sir Stephen Redgrave and Vivian Cox to Old Cranleighans such as Eric Fellner and Julia Ormond to more recent students achieving places at prestigious drama and musical theatre schools and university drama courses, Cranleigh drama plays an important role in School life. It seeks to be challenging, inclusive, innovative and collaborative.

Leading an academic department and a high-profile co-curricular area in such a busy school requires very high levels of organisation, enthusiasm, energy and commitment. We aim to recruit an enthusiastic leader, willing to build on existing strengths of this department, with a willingness to review and refresh the overall department strategy, teaching resources and staff development.

The successful candidate will set an outstanding example through his or her teaching, and contribute to strategic planning at Heads of Departments’ meetings.

The successful candidate will provide the creative vision for the overall co-curricular drama programme, and offer inspirational artistic direction of main school productions.    In addition, he/she will be expected to get involved in all aspects of this busy boarding school (which would normally include one evening duty per week), including acting as a tutor to a group of students within a Boarding House.

Please read our ‘Recruitment Pack’ to be found below which gives an impression of the ethos to which it is expected that the successful candidate will contribute.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss any aspect of the post informally, please contact Charlie Boddington (Assistant Head Co-curricular) by email in the first instance: chdb@cranleigh.org

For further details and to apply, please see below:

Candidates are requested to submit a brief letter of application, together with a completed application form (apply on the website) supported by a full CV as soon as possible and no later than 9:00 am on Tuesday 7th May 2024. Applications are considered as they are received and therefore the vacancy may close sooner than advertised.

Only applications submitted on the School’s Application Form will be considered. All applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

Cranleigh School recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  The post holder will be subject to a DBS check.