Head of Drama – Secondary School Full Time Permanent NEW

Head of Drama

September 2026 South East London

Philosophy Education is working in partnership with an ambitious secondary school in South East London to recruit an exceptional Head of Drama from September 2026.

This is an exciting opportunity for a creative and inspirational leader to shape the future of Drama and performing arts within a thriving school community. The successful candidate will lead the development of an ambitious curriculum, champion the value of the arts, and create a culture of performance, participation and excellence that places Drama at the heart of school life.

The Role

• Lead and develop an engaging and ambitious Drama curriculum across KS3–KS5.
• Drive high-quality teaching, learning and student outcomes.
• Champion Drama and the performing arts across the school community.
• Develop a vibrant programme of productions, performances and enrichment opportunities.
• Inspire creativity, confidence, communication and self-expression in all students.
• Lead departmental improvement and contribute to wider school priorities.

The Ideal Candidate

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
• Experience teaching Drama across KS3, KS4 and KS5.
• Outstanding classroom practitioner with a strong track record of student achievement.
• Passionate about increasing participation and engagement in the performing arts.
• Ambitious, creative and committed to continuous improvement.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire both students and colleagues.

Salary

MPS/UPS TLR2A (£3,527)
£40,389 – £62,560 plus Inner London Weighting and TLR.

Start Date

September 2026

For further information or a confidential discussion, contact Philosophy Education.

Philosophy Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to enhanced DBS and reference checks.

We have a policy to respond to all applications within three working days. However, because of the volume of applications, we are sometimes unable to reply to individual enquiries. If we have not contacted you within this specified time your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Philosophy Education is a Recruitment Business and is advertising this vacancy on behalf of one of its clients.