Piano Teacher (Self-Employed)

Piano Teacher

(Visiting Music Teacher- Self Employed)

Newcastle upon Tyne Royal Grammar School

To start September 2025

A unique self-employment opportunity has arisen for a well-qualified and enthusiastic piano teacher to teach students of our Music department. The successful candidate will be expected to play a full role in developing the number and quality of young pianists across our Junior and Senior Schools.

The position is a self-employed contract (as is common in most independent schools), in which the visiting music teacher will be responsible for setting their lesson fee, contracting with their clients and timetabling their own lessons.

Though the exact number of students is yet to be determined and potentially initially small, whilst we collate piano lesson applications, this is a fantastic opportunity for an enterprising teacher to grow their numbers in school and to be promoted via the school website. We warmly welcome and encourage the successful candidate to bring forward innovative promotional ideas and seize opportunities to actively grow their student base.

THE SCHOOL

In 1525, the Mayor of Newcastle, Thomas Horsley, wrote his will, in which he generously gifted his estate to fund a grammar school. Five centuries later, Horsley’s vision lives on in the Royal Grammar School Newcastle’s corridors and classrooms, and his philanthropic spirit drives the RGS’s commitment to education.

Few schools can claim a 500-year history. Over the years, the RGS, has continued to flourish as the premier independent school in the Northeast of England and as one of the country’s leading schools – consistently topping the regional table for academic excellence.

Today, RGS is a fully co-educational school with over 1,300 students aged 7-18 (Years 3 to 13). Its academically selective places are highly sought after. The school has more than 250 students in the Junior School, which shares the same outstanding site as the Senior School. Its Sixth Form is one of the largest in the independent sector, with more than 340 students.

While RGS prides itself on academic excellence, the school is also known for its emphasis on a holistic education. The school’s ‘There’s More to Life’ approach informs its holistic education, which is central to students’ success, health and happiness.

RGS is based in the heart of Newcastle, immediately opposite Jesmond Metro station. The school occupies over 30 acres of land and has state-of-the-art facilities, including five new art studios, a new library, a modern Sixth Form Centre, a 25m swimming pool, two Sports Halls, a Performing Arts Centre, outdoor football/rugby pitches at Mooracres, an artificial turf pitch for hockey and the former County Cricket Ground.

Academic Success

RGS is a special place, known and respected throughout the whole country as well as the Northeast. It’s a place where aspirations are high, results are outstanding, and opportunities are endless. Our students go on to study highly selective courses at the most sought-after universities but also leave the school realising that life outside the classroom has been equally beneficial.

In 2023, RGS was named the overall national ‘Independent School of the Year’ by The Telegraph Group’s Independent School Parent Awards. Most recently, the school was again named Northeast Independent Secondary School of the Year for Academic Excellence 2025 by The Sunday Times’ Parent Power Schools Guide. Academically, the school is highly selective. Students are assessed for entry at the key entry points (Y3, Y5, Y7, and a handful at Y9, plus Sixth Form). The biggest entry points are Y3 (60 students), Y7 (c.75 students) and Y12 (c.45 students). Beyond the academics, in Junior School (Y3-6), entry is assessed through activity days, whilst at Y7, students are assessed through online tests and an interaction day. Sixth Form entry is through interview only.

Students sit baseline tests in Y7, Y10, and Y12 – the average GLA CAT score for both the current Y7 and Y12 is 117. We have several students who have the assistance of our dedicated Learning Support Team, which works across Junior and Senior School.

Co-curricular Activities

At RGS, students can choose from over 170 co-curricular activities, ranging from music, drama, and sports to unique options like e-sports and knitting. All students are encouraged to discover what excites and inspires them.

Sport is also a central part of life at RGS, with students actively participating in a variety of activities including hockey, cricket, and basketball, from early morning until late afternoon. RGS views sport as a fundamental vehicle for students to develop lifelong skills, character, resilience – and, above all, a love for daily movement.

While it may seem tricky to balance schoolwork with so many exciting co-curricular and sporting activities, RGS has found that students actively engaged outside the classroom often perform even better academically. Both programs are designed to help students develop essential life skills, from self-awareness to decision-making and self-organisation.

Pastoral Care

We understand that all our students are unique and different, and we strive to treat them as individuals, aiming to tailor our care to meet their needs.

That is why pastoral care is another critical cornerstone of RGS’s holistic approach. Student well-being is embedded throughout school life, from a dedicated Form Teacher and an allocated Tutor to easy access to the school Medical Team and counsellors who work together to help students reach their full potential.

THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT

The Music Department at Royal Grammar School is active, energetic and very successful both in the classroom and in the breadth and variety of co-curricular activities available to students. It currently consists of a Director of Music, one full time and one part time Teacher of Academic Music, Head of Junior School Music, a Performing Arts Administrator and Technical Support Team. There are also fifteen self-employed Visiting Music Teachers who offer vocal and instrumental lessons.

In 2010, the department moved into its new premises within the Performing Arts Centre, giving it state of the art facilities to aid the development of music across the school. Music has one large classroom, which is also used as a main choral/orchestral rehearsal space, and a keyboard lab equipped with Sibelius software. There are nine music practice rooms of various sizes (including a fully equipped percussion room), a recording studio and the band room. The 300-seat Miller Theater is used for large music events. A Main Hall with its organ and superb acoustic is also used as a venue for concerts, while St Nicholas’ Cathedral and St George’s church in Jesmond are used for the Founder’s Service and Carol Service.

The department has a wide range of coached music activities and ensembles ranging from large groups such as the Symphony Orchestra, Senior Choir, Senior Wind Band, Community Choir, Intermediate Wind Band (Year 7-8), Intermediate Choir (Year 7-8) down to smaller groups such as Intermediate Guitar Ensemble, Senior Guitar Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, Flute Choir, Sinfonia, Chamber Choir, Intermediate Function Band, Senior Function Band, Ceilidh Band, Percussion Ensemble, rock bands and more. Over 40 concerts take place throughout the academic year. From small lunchtime recitals/gigs to larger events such as the House Music Competition, Spring Concert, Senior Carol Service, the Choral and Orchestral Concert, Jazz Concert, Battle of the Bands and others.

Other music events include Middle and Senior School Musicals produced in collaboration with our Drama department. There are also tours for ensembles/choirs which, this year, included a tour of Paris with performances at Disneyland Paris for our Symphony Orchestra and Senior Choir.

MAIN TERMS FOR SELF-EMPLOYED VISITING MUSIC TEACHER

• Expected start date: September 2025.
• The Piano Teacher will be expected to complete the relevant safer recruitment checks for a self-employed individual as outlined in the Governments ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ 2024 guidance and the ‘Information for Applicants’ on the school website.
• Hours per week: to be determined.
• This is a term-time only opportunity.
• Payment terms: Payment is directly via the parent(s)/guardian(s).
• The Piano Teacher is responsible for setting their own fees.
• The candidate would be expected to demonstrate they have up to date and sufficient professional liabilities insurance and will be responsible for their own professional membership subscriptions that would directly support this role.
• All self-employed contractors are required to work in accordance with the school’s key policies including the RGS Safeguarding Policy, Staff Code Policy, Health and Safety Policy and Privacy Notice, copies of which will be made available on induction.
• All self-employed contractors are expected to complete (or provide evidence of) the relevant safeguarding training before starting and are expected to keep their DBS, DBS Update Service registration and safeguarding training up to date. RGS will invite the self-employed VMT to attend the RGS annual safeguarding refresher at the start of September every academic year. Failure to provide evidence of training either at RGS or through another educational setting will mean that the individual will not be permitted to work with students until the relevant training has been undertaken.
• There will be a regular dialogue with the Director of Music and self-employed visiting music teacher to discuss the effectiveness of this arrangement for the school and teacher.
• Please note that the successful candidate will not be employed by the Royal Grammar School.
• The Piano Teacher will be required to sign a ‘Contract for Services for Visiting Teachers’.

HOW TO APPLY

Enquiries about this opportunity should be made in the first instance to Neil Smith (Director of Music) n.smith@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk or call 0191 281 5711.

Candidates are advised to read the ‘Information for Applicants’ with particular care before applying.

To apply for this post please submit the following to jobs@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk by the closing date.

1. A covering letter and

2. A fully completed RGS application form.

You must complete the application form, even if you want to also attach a CV. Please email all documents to jobs@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk by 9.00am Thursday 26th June 2025.

Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment

RGS is committed to the safeguarding of children and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and those working in school to share this commitment. The school applies the Government’s Keeping Children Safe in Education Safer Recruitment procedures to all candidates including appropriate pre-interview checks on shortlisted candidates and pre-employment checks pending any offer. More information regarding the checks can be found in our Information for Applicants here, and ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (September 2024)

Equal Opportunities  

We are looking to appoint staff from a wide variety of backgrounds. Not just because it is the right thing to do but because at the RGS we recognise that those different experiences provide fresh perspectives, opportunities to challenge existing beliefs and provide opportunities to act as excellent role models for our diverse student body. We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse school culture and our staff are at the heart of this. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of neurodivergence, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

We strive to achieve a diverse workforce, fully representative of our pluralistic society and the ethnic make-up of the student population in the UK. People of colour are under-represented on our staff team. We are keen to attract applicants from a diverse pool of candidates and determined to be a fully inclusive employer, and a great workplace for people of Black, Asian, and ethnic minority heritage as well as White heritage.

We encourage all candidates to complete an ‘equal opportunities’ form with your application. This will be sent directly to the HR team for monitoring purposes.

CONTACT DETAILS

Royal Grammar School Eskdale Terrace Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4DX

Tel: 0191 281 5711

General enquiries: Neil Smith (Director of Music) n.smith@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk

or communications@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk

www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk