Subject Leader Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) - TLR1C £9272 per annum, Salary Scale: MPS/UPS (Minimum £30,000 - Maximum £46,525)

Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy is a successful 11-18 mainstream co-educational academy which has improved rapidly over recent years. We recently celebrated achieving a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating in our November 2022 inspection. The improvement in progress 8 scores from 2019 to 2022 indicates we were the most improved school in Gateshead and among the top 10% of schools for improvement in the North East of England. Whole school progress remained at similar levels into 2023, indicating that the improvements made have been embedded consistently.

We provide an exceptional programme of Professional Development for staff. We know this through staff surveys and our very low levels of staff turnover. The majority of staff who have left us have gone on to promoted positions. Recent surveys tell us that staff are happy here; Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy is a good place to work. We have high expectations of our staff and students, but we also know our staff are our greatest asset, and we treat them with respect. We value the development of all our staff and you will develop further during your time here. 

The MFL department comprises of 4 members of staff, one of whom would be the successful applicant. Uptake at GCSE increased in 2024 and is set to rise again in 2025. We would like the successful candidate to secure this trend. We currently offer French and German to A level and would like the successful candidate to be able to offer at least one of these languages up to A level (the ability to offer an additional language would be beneficial).

 As a school, we are committed to raising the profile of MFL and the role it plays in the lives and future of our students. We look to continually provide the best for our students and invest our time and energy into our classroom practice, for example, ensuring we robustly check for understanding using mini whiteboards, hinge questions and cold calling. Teachers work hard to convey their enthusiasm of MFL, exploring a range of vocabulary, grammar and skills in key stage 3 leading to studying AQA specification at GCSE.

We are a school committed to collaboration; recent development work in MFL has focused on robust schemes of learning and a coherent assessment program in key stage 3 and key stage 4 which teachers use centrally. This has helped to ease workload pressures whilst ensuring that all our students receive equal access to the curriculum. This work requires further development and sustaining. 

We seek to recruit an innovative, skilled, and determined leader of MFL. The successful applicant will be committed to the challenge of transforming the subject to sustain outcomes at GCSE and increase uptake at A level and beyond. 

You will be passionate about promoting the enjoyment and relevance of MFL to our students, particularly the disadvantaged, including those with SEND. You will be keen to learn and develop further, through collaboration with others, and through whole-school and departmental Professional Development. 

You will be welcomed into a successful school and drive the development of excellent teaching within the MFL department. You will raise the achievement of our students through improving the quality of the curriculum in key stage 3 and its implementation, ensuring student engagement from year 7 onwards equips students to take their studies further.  

This is an exceptional opportunity to join us on our journey towards becoming one of the best schools in the North East of England. We have further work to do but are well on the way in our improvement plan. The successful candidate will learn and develop here, and will, we hope, go on to achieve great success in their career.

Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Other Information

Permanent

Grade of Post: Main Pay Scale/Upper Pay Scale (Minimum £30,000 to Maximum £46,525) plus TLR1C £9272 per annum

Hours of Post: Full Time

Contract Weeks: 52 weeks

Start Date: September 2024

Closing Date: Monday 13 May 2024 at 9am

Shortlisting to take place: Monday 13 May 2024

Interview date: During w/c Monday 13 May 2024