Foreign Language Assistant - Voluntary Position with Bursary

We are looking to appoint natural speakers of French, German, Spanish and Italian to fill 4 voluntary Language Assistant positions, from September 2021 to join a highly successful and motivated department. This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking to gain experience of working in a British school and who is keen to share their love of their natural language and culture with very enthusiastic students. The role has previously helped gain accreditation for Teaching Assistant certified courses and has provided the necessary experience to successfully gain TA positions in other British schools. Equally, it would provide invaluable experience towards gaining a place on a teacher-training programme in the UK or in Europe. The school is situated 25 minutes away from London by public transport, and the area has excellent transport links and is very affordable.

This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to work with well-motivated and intelligent young linguists. Bexley Grammar School is an oversubscribed, high achieving, coeducational selective school. As an International Baccalaureate world school with excellent resources, a thriving Sixth Form, Specialist College Status in Languages and a wealth of extra-curricular activities, this school provides an exciting and enriching educational experience for all. Language College Status has had a profound impact on the school and all students take two languages at GCSE from a wide range, currently: French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese and Mandarin. All sixth formers study at least one language for the International Baccalaureate at either Beginner, Standard or Higher level. The Languages department comprises 17 well-qualified subject specialists and several assistants, all housed in a suite of rooms including specialist language laboratories, and with their own office and individual computers. The department achieves excellent results on a routine basis and contributes significantly to the vibrant extra-curricular life of the school through the many clubs, trips and excursions it delivers.

This full time position runs from 1st September 2021 to 1st April 2022. It primarily entails delivering sixth form conversation classes. For full details, see the job description and person specification. No previous experience is necessary, although the successful candidate will be well-qualified, dedicated and with an enthusiasm for teaching. Although this is a voluntary position, the school will provide a bursary of £4000 in order to contribute towards accommodation costs and personal expenses during this time, and will provide lunches from the school’s canteen. We also have bikes that we can loan each assistant to help with travel costs. We have contacts for accommodation at rates that would be well within the bursary amount. The regular school hours of 08:15 - 15:15 would allow the successful volunteer to take on an additional part-time job, such as tutoring, evening classes at the school or work elsewhere for which we would happily provide references.