Maiden Erlegh School in Reading is seeking to appoint a committed and ambitious Curriculum Leader of Drama to provide strategic and operational leadership for Drama across the school.

This is an excellent opportunity for a skilled Drama specialist who is ready to lead curriculum development, secure high-quality teaching and learning, and ensure students experience an ambitious, well-sequenced and inclusive Drama curriculum.

The successful candidate will lead the development, implementation and evaluation of the Drama curriculum, support strong student progress and outcomes, and contribute to wider whole-school curriculum development. They will line manage the Drama team and play an active role in monitoring, evaluation, staff development and departmental improvement.

The role includes responsibility for the effective management and monitoring of the Drama departmental budget and may involve contributing to cross-school or cross-Trust curriculum development and delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of an ambitious, well-sequenced Drama curriculum aligned with school and Trust priorities.
• Secure consistently high-quality teaching across the department through modelling, coaching and support.
• Monitor and evaluate teaching, learning, curriculum impact and student performance data.
• Ensure assessment across all key stages is accurate, consistent and supports student progress.
• Implement timely interventions to address underperformance and close attainment gaps.
• Support all students, including disadvantaged students, those with SEND, the most able and students who are not yet fluent readers.
• Line manage, develop and appraise colleagues to improve professional practice and team performance.
• Promote high standards of behaviour, engagement, attendance, punctuality and student wellbeing.
• Provide enrichment and extra-curricular opportunities to enhance students’ learning experience.
• Contribute to whole-school curriculum design, development planning, CPD and wider improvement priorities.
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, health and safety, statutory requirements and relevant school and Trust policies.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will have:

• A good quality honours degree.
• PGCE, or equivalent, in secondary education.
• Qualified Teacher Status.
• Strong subject knowledge in Drama and secure understanding of curriculum requirements across relevant key stages.
• The ability to design, implement and evaluate curriculum plans and schemes of work that support inclusive learning and strong student outcomes.
• Secure understanding of effective teaching, learning, assessment and intervention strategies.
• The ability to use assessment and performance data to inform teaching, curriculum planning and student progress.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build positive relationships with colleagues, students, parents and carers.
• The ability to coach, mentor and support colleagues to improve practice and outcomes.
• Strong organisation, planning and time management skills.
• Well-developed behaviour management skills and a commitment to positive behaviour for learning.
• A commitment to safeguarding, equality, inclusion, professional conduct and continuous professional development.

Maiden Erlegh School in Reading (MER)

Maiden Erlegh School in Reading is an ambitious, over-subscribed 11–16 secondary school in an urban context. The school is as committed to staff and student wellbeing as it is to delivering high-quality education.

Staff voice is central to shaping change and wellbeing priorities. The school benefits from excellent modern facilities and is proud of its vibrant, diverse student body who work hard and have high aspirations. A link to the school can be found here

About Maiden Erlegh Trust

Maiden Erlegh Trust is a growing community of schools across Berkshire and Oxfordshire, working together to deliver the best possible education for every child and young person. With around 800 staff and 5,000 students across eleven schools, including primary, secondary, special and alternative provision, we are proud of the diversity that shapes our expertise.

We Aim High, Be Inclusive and Work Together. These values drive our focus on high-quality education for all through collaboration, inclusion and continuous improvement.

Through the Maiden Erlegh Institute, colleagues access high-quality professional learning at every stage of their career, supported by mentoring, leadership opportunities and our annual MET Staff Conference, a day that brings colleagues together to share best practice and learn from one another.

Joining our Trust means being part of a community that invests in people and values expertise, playing a direct role in shaping the lives and outcomes of young people.

Further information about working with us, and insight from colleagues across the Trust, can be found here on our website.

Benefits of Working with Maiden Erlegh Trust

Staff wellbeing and professional development are central to how we work. Colleagues benefit from a wide range of opportunities and schemes, including :

Pension Scheme – Generous employer contributions through the Teachers’ Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme

Annual Leave – Generous entitlement, increasing with length of service

ME Day – One additional day’s leave each year for a significant personal event

Professional Development – Extensive CPD through the Maiden Erlegh Institute, annual Trust Conference and apprenticeship opportunities

Hybrid Working – Flexible working arrangements for eligible roles

Perkbox – Discounts, wellbeing resources and monthly perk points

Wellbeing and Health – Free flu vaccinations and eye tests (where eligible)

Employee Assistance Programme – 24/7 support and discount schemes

Mental Health First Aid Support

Recognition and Community – Celebrating achievements and milestones across #TeamMET

Employee Referral Scheme

Working for our Trust means contributing to something larger by supporting the education and life chances of children and young people every day.

Additional Information

If you believe this is an environment where you can thrive, develop and make a meaningful contribution, please contact recruitment@maidenerleghtrust.org for an informal discussion.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as we reserve the right to close the advert and interview at any time.

Maiden Erlegh Trust is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references