Job Description for the Head of Learning
at Watts Gallery, Compton, Surrey
Title
Head of Learning
Salary
£27,000 pro rata
Hours
30 hours, 4 days per week
Reporting to
The Director
Terms
Maternity cover, one-year contract
Background
The Art for All Learning Programme is key to making Watts Gallery a vibrant place for visitors
and is central to the Gallery’s vision and mission. The Head of Learning works closely with the
Director, Curator and Marketing Manager to promote the understanding of 19th-century arts and
crafts and awareness of GF and Mary Watts. S/he needs a strong understanding of the ethos of the
Watts Gallery and an ability to create strategy which reflects its focussed purpose. This will be
particularly important when planning the learning strategy for Limnerslease, Watts’s house and
studio, and its interaction with the Gallery. This is an exciting challenge. The manager has an
important role to play in making the Watts gallery sites a seamless and successful place of learning.
Overall Purpose and Role
The Head of Learning will develop and deliver an innovative learning programme inspired by
Watts Gallery and Compton Chapel. The programme will engage a wide range of people through
a variety of approaches.
Job activities
To develop and manage:
 Schools, College and University programme
 Outreach community programme
 The Big Issue Workshop Programme
 Foyle Art for All Learning Studio and workshop hires
 The Artist in Residence scheme
 Apprentice Potter Scheme
 Lifelong Learning Officer who manages: adult learners, family and young people’s
programme and the Big Issues programme for adults with mental health problems and
young people in partnership with Surrey Youth Justice Service
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To work with the architect, project manager and Director at every stage of the development of
Limnerslease and Great Studio and to scope the learning strategy for this development
To train, monitor and lead the team of learning freelancers and learning volunteers
To work with the Curatorial department on the development and delivery of the Adult general
and specialist interest programme: i.e. Summer School, Study Days, the Watts lecture, the Artist in
Residence scheme, Gallery talks, plus the E-learning resources
To work with the Marketing Manager to promote the learning programme
To work with the Fundraising Manager and Director to secure future funding for the learning
programme
To manage the learning budget
To evaluate the learning programme and to provide reports and evaluations to funding agencies,
foundations and grant making trusts and contribute to Watts Gallery reports (e.g. Trustees
Report, Annual Report)
To research and prepare learning, interpretation and learning materials
To take an active part in teaching, teaching up to one day per month
To form and co-ordinate a Learning Advisory Group
To liaise with educationalists in national and regional museums and galleries
To represent the learning department on internal and external meetings and to be the
spokesperson for education at Watts Gallery
To undertake any other task as appropriate
Dimensions
The Head of Learning will be based at Watts Gallery. The post holder will work closely with all
members of Watts Gallery staff. The Head of Learning will manage a part-time Lifelong Learning
Officer, Apprentice Potter, and the Marketing Apprentice. They will also manage a large pool of
freelancers and some volunteers. The Head of learning will work closely with the Artist in
Residence.
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Key Deliverables
 Devise, implement and manage the 2012 community learning programme
 Manage, develop and strategically review The Big Issues programme and plan for 2013
Big Issues exhibition at Watts Gallery
 To develop the schools and HE/FE learning programme for 2012-13 and lead the
Sustainable Learning Partnership Project (spring 2012)
 Work closely with the Director in developing learning strategy for 2012-14
 To develop and implement a Learning Intern Role, to support the administration of the
learning programme
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
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Proven teaching experience
Previous experience in working with communities, special needs groups or excluded
groups.
Knowledge of the National Curriculum
At least three years’ experience of working in museum learning in a management role
Experience in managing budgets and project grants
Experience of developing a strategy and planning
Management experience, ability to lead and motivate a team
Flexibility and ability to work as a member of a team
A belief in the need to make the arts and heritage accessible to all
A positive attitude and ability to work under pressure
Excellent communication skills (written, oral and editing)
Competent IT skills
Car Driver
Qualifications
BA in Art (fine art or ceramics), MA desirable
PGCE, Cert Ed or equivalent teaching qualification
Application details – Please send a letter with your CV to director@wattsgallery.org.uk. Deadline
for application is Friday 28 October. Information pack available on request.
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Watts’s Vision - Art for All – Learning in Compton
GF and Mary Watts were passionate advocates of Art for All. They acted on this belief in taking
their work to the East End of London, in opening the artist’s studio to anyone interested, in
leading classes with members of the community and mentoring young artists. Having moved from
London to Compton, the Wattses opened a public gallery for people living in the local rural area –
Watts Gallery. They believed in the transformational impact of art and it is fitting that learning at
Watts Gallery embraces this ethos and takes it into the 21st Century.
GF and Mary Watts also commissioned community Arts and Crafts projects. At Compton, Mary
Watts tried to bring the entire community together through pottery. At Limnerslease, the artists’
home, Mary Watts started evening classes in her studio for local villages in terra cotta model
making. The Watts Cemetery Chapel is considered the first piece of public art work in the
country and all the inhabitants made terracotta tiles which formed the exterior of the Chapel with
the interior painted gesso. It stands resplendent today, a couple of minutes walk from the Gallery
and is a Grade One* Listed Art Nouveau building.
In the spirit of its founders’ ethos, The Watts Gallery ‘Art for All’ project is an imaginative learning
and outreach programme to reach out to new audiences who do not have a specialist interest in
art. The focus is primary and secondary schools (there are 1150 schools in the wider catchment
area), socially excluded and special needs groups, families, young people and life long learners. The
Hope Wall Community Art Project and Big Issues Workshops are ground breaking and have
developed through Art for All.
Big Issues Workshops, has grown significantly in the last three years and has built enduring and
expanding partnerships with organisations in Surrey working with socially excluded and special
needs groups including HMP Send, HMP Bronzefield, HMP Coldingley, The Cellar Art Group in
Godalming, Street Level Arts in Guildford and the Surrey Youth Offending Team. Despite widely
held views that Surrey is free from social deprivation, where there are deprived communities,
there is a serious lack of support, awareness and help. Reaching out today to excluded groups, the
Big Issues project provides the same opportunity for personal transformation as sought by the
pioneers of the Arts & Crafts movement, and through art, offers the development of self worth
and new skills.
The Gallery attracts over 25,000 visitors a year, receives over 2000 education visits, and 150
student enquiries and internships. In its first month of re-opening following the major
restoration, Watts Gallery received over 6,000 visitors. The Watts Gallery Charitable Trust was
endowed by Watts in 1904, registered as a charity in 1905 and endowed further by Mary Watts in
1938. Watts Gallery Trust is an arts and education charity and a company limited by guarantee.
There are 12 Trustees who represent the arts, museums, business, governance, marketing and
media.
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As well as exhibiting the permanent collection, the Gallery hosts temporary exhibitions,
encourages contemporary artists, stages concerts, readings and events. It supports research, trains
interns and a trainee curator, provides a rich and growing learning programme, Art for All, hosts
over 50 tours from University of the Third age, specialist interest groups, and Victorian
enthusiasts, and provides advice and scholarship on Watts to national institutions and sales houses.
In addition, the Gallery plays a vital role in the local community, providing a focus and a meeting
point as well as a centre for learning and enjoyment for over 300 volunteers. In keeping with its
founders’ vision of offering apprenticeships – the Gallery has three apprenticeships funded by
donors and an annual artist in residence scheme.
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