Job Description

The Role

Erskine Stewart's Melville Schools are currently recruiting for a Director of Music and Performing Arts to join ESM on a permanent basis from 17 August 2026. (subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks). The role is responsible for all music and performing arts provision across the Junior and Senior Schools, based on Queensferry Road and Ravelston sites.



The purpose of the role is to lead the strategic direction of the Music department and the Performing Arts programme at ESM, in line with the School's wider strategic School Improvement Plan. In addition to preparing and delivery the strategy, the postholder has full oversight of the performance calendar and is responsible for the budget.



The successful candidate is an influential leader who will be required to develop, build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships, both internally and externally. They will be responsible for leading development plans to improve the student experience of Music and the Performing Arts using the HGIOS framework. Proven experience in driving innovation within Music and the Performing Arts is highly desirable, whilst supporting colleagues to work collaboratively to achieve the objectives of the strategic plan and School Improvement Plan is essential to this role. The post holder will be required to teach 8-10 hours per week, as well as encourage and lead associated extra curricular activities.

Eligibility

ESMS is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. International applicants will therefore be unable to apply for and secure a Skilled Worker visa. The successful candidate will only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right work in the UK.

Benefits

Staff are offered a range of benefits including: a generous holiday allowance, enhanced sick pay, family friendly policies, use of the Schools' swimming pool and fitness room outside school hours, membership of the ESMS Discount and Benefits Scheme, including a range of discounts at 130,000 retail and entertainment locations.

Values

We are looking for individuals who can embody and promote ESMS values of Kindness, Confidence, Resilience, Integrity, and Curiosity while role modelling behaviours in line with our school pillars of Ambition, Innovation, and Community.



ESMS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Applicants must undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and Disclosure Scotland.



All staff working at ESMS have direct access to young people therefore all posts within the school are considered exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.



For further enquiries, please contact the HR Team at recruitment@esms.org.uk.

The closing date for applications is 12pm on Friday 28 November 2025. We anticipate interviews will be held week commencing 8 December 2025.

About ESMS

Welcome to the ESMS, a vibrant family of independent schools, set in beautiful grounds in the heart of Edinburgh. We offer a co-educational nursery and junior school, single-sex but closely twinned secondary education, and a co-educational sixth form.


We are a consistently award-winning School, with an educational legacy that stretches back more than 300 years. Our Schools have always been pioneers of rounded education. Children's education is underpinned by our values: kindness, confidence, resilience, integrity and curiosity. From virtual reality headsets in the classroom to developing one of the first outdoor learning programmes in Scotland, we are always searching for new ways to develop the whole child.


The people that work for us are passionate, pioneering and strive for excellence in everything they do. We value the incredible contributions they make to school life, we invest in their careers and we support their ambitions so that they flourish professionally and personally.

Benefits

Employees get access to a range of benefits including:

Fee remission from Nursery to S6 Free school lunches Free Sports' Club membership, including access to pool and fitness suites Generous holiday allowance Generous pension Death in service benefit Family friendly policies, including enhanced maternity leave Membership of the ESMS Discount and Benefits Scheme, including a range of discounts at 130,000 retail and entertainment locations Employee Assistance Service Cycle to work scheme Car leasing salary sacrifice scheme Annual professional review process Regular salary reviews * Funding towards professional qualifications