Teacher of Drama & Performing Arts

Location: Hackney

Ofsted Rating: Outstanding

School Type: Secondary School & Sixth Form (Co-educational)

Contract: Full-Time, Permanent or Fixed-Term

Start Date: January Start

An Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ secondary school and Sixth Form in the creative heart of the Inner London Borough of Hackney is seeking a visionary, energetic, and articulate Teacher of Drama to join their renowned Performing Arts faculty starting in January. This is an exceptional opportunity for a specialist practitioner, whether an experienced educator looking to direct within a top-tier creative department or an ambitious Early Career Teacher (ECT), to inspire artistic expression, theatrical performance, and analytical evaluation across a talented student body.

About the Role

As a Teacher of Drama, you will nurture confidence, performance craft, and critical appreciation of theatre. Joining the department for the spring term, you will deliver dynamic, high-rigor lessons across Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 (GCSE Drama), and Key Stage 5 (A-Level Drama & Theatre Studies / BTEC Performing Arts), guiding students through physical theatre, practitioner methodologies (such as Stanislavski, Brecht, and Frantic Assembly), script analysis, and live performance evaluations.

• Start Date: January

• Environment: A flagship Inner London secondary school celebrated for academic ambition, exceptional progress scores, and a thriving arts culture supported by state-of-the-art studio performance spaces

• Culture: A highly collaborative, energetic, and well-resourced creative team with established schemes of work, dedicated technical support, and visionary departmental leadership

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and deliver engaging, high-impact Drama lessons across Key Stages 3, 4, and 5 that develop performance technique, vocal control, ensemble collaboration, and script interpretation.

• Prepare GCSE and A-Level candidates thoroughly for practical performance exams, portfolio logs, and written paper evaluations using data-driven progress tracking and detailed diagnostic feedback.

• Direct and assist with extra-curricular productions, showcase evenings, house drama competitions, and regional theatre festival entries.

• Monitor, track, and evaluate student progress, implementing targeted interventions to stretch high-aspiring actors and directors while building confidence in developing performers.

• Foster strong connections with East London’s vibrant arts scene, organizing theatre visits, workshops with visiting practitioners, and university/conservatoire entry preparation for Sixth Form students.

Requirements

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or an equivalent recognized teaching credential.

• A strong academic degree in Drama, Theatre Studies, Performing Arts, or a closely related discipline.

• Proven track record or demonstrated capability of delivering outstanding Drama teaching across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 (KS5/A-Level experience is highly desirable).

• Thorough knowledge of national Drama examination board specifications (e.g., AQA, Edexcel, WJEC/Eduqas) and practical assessment criteria.

• Superior classroom management, physical energy, clear explanatory skills, and an infectious passion for theatrical craft and performance art.

Salary & Benefits

• Pay Scale: Inner London Main / Upper Pay Scale (MPS/UPS Inner London, commensurate with experience), with potential TLR opportunities available for Performing Arts coordination or production directing.

• Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), comprehensive continuous professional development (CPD), structured onboarding for a seamless January transition, and access to staff health and wellbeing schemes.

How to Apply

If you are an ambitious, creative, and inspiring Drama specialist ready to lead center stage at an Outstanding secondary school in Hackney starting this January, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your application as soon as possible for consideration.