after the war, hayes began studying formally art, first at the bath school of art and then at the ruskin school of drawing during 1946 and 1947 in oxford. in 1947 he was appointed head of painting at cheltenham ladies' college but left in 1949 when offered a post at the royal college of art, rca. in time hayes became a senior tutor, then reader and fellow at the rca and in all taught there until 1984. alongside many notable colleagues, such as ruskin spear and john minton, hayes influenced the artistic development of a generation of students that included david hockney, peter blake, patrick caulfield and r. b. kitaj. after retiring from the rca, hayes remained an honorary member of the college and, later, taught at the city & guilds school of art in london.