Deputy Head of Languages

The School

“Hoe Valley School is an inspiring environment at the heart of its community where every student’s experience is personalised. Our students will learn to think independently, pursue their ambitions and achieve their highest potential.”

Hoe Valley School is:

• An oversubscribed secondary school that opened in September 2015 to serve the local community of South Woking
• Rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in June 2018
• Delivering innovative and exciting lessons to years 7-13
• Committed to ensuring our students leave us with excellent academic outcomes, the skills to be ‘work-ready’ and the traits of excellent global citizens
• Following the national curriculum offering an extended day allowing time for additional Maths and English, along with time for all students to complete their homework during the compulsory day
• A Google School with ICT fully embedded in all curriculum areas
• Growing its new STEAM focussed academic Sixth Form, which opened in September 2023
• Committed to learning which is relevant with links to the ‘real world’ of business, higher education and the local community
• In a state of the art new school completed in September 2018 on Egley Road, Woking
• Committed to supporting our staff to have a good work / life balance by offering longer school holidays, bespoke CPD programmes, minimising paperwork and meetings and ultimately by trusting our staff to deliver excellent outcomes 

The Role

Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Parlez-vous français? ¿Habla español?

This is a very exciting opportunity for a passionate, talented and rigorous practitioner to join our dedicated languages Faculty as we launch our full suite of Language A-levels within our expanding Sixth Form provision.

German, French and Spanish remain very popular choices at GCSE and students value and enjoy their language lessons at HVS. The School has recently achieved International Schools status.

The successful Deputy Head of Languages will be a specialist in any of our main languages and able to teach this to KS5. They should be able to teach a second language to at least Key Stage 3, and will have the exciting and unique opportunity to work with KS3, KS4 and KS5 curriculum that is bespoke, challenging and fit for the needs of 21st Century life.

They will be committed to inspiring a life-long love of languages in our students, and to enthuse all learners, regardless of ability and background, to become confident, effective global communicators. 

We seek an inspirational teacher who embraces creativity and innovation and who demonstrates thorough curriculum knowledge. The successful candidate will be an effective professional who will take responsibility for professional development and develop standards of students’ learning, achievement and attainment. They will share the School’s vision and the belief that all young people can achieve at high levels.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES (in addition to Teachers’ Standards)

Teaching and Learning

• To work with the Head of Languages to manage curriculum planning and student learning for one Key Stage, ideally Key Stage 3, and ensure it is creative, relevant, challenging and personalised
• To lead KS2 to KS3 languages transition and work with our cluster of Primary Feeder schools
• To manage and support our community language student.
• To ensure Languages maintains its high profile across the School through offering vibrant and exciting learning opportunities 
• To support the Head of Languages in the planning and implementation of trips to Europe, ideally taking responsibility for a residential visit abroad
• To ensure that all students are making outstanding progress and that teaching and learning is of a high standard
• To contribute to CPD across the School and share best practice via coaching, sharing planning and resources, and following an 'open door' teaching policy
• To create a stimulating, organised, interactive and informative learning environment that encourages each child to achieve its potential
• To ensure that resources are organised and available to promote a purposeful environment for teaching and learning to take place, through a mix of traditional teaching techniques, integrating ICT where appropriate and via project based learning
• To ensure that classrooms within the faculty present a stimulating environment through the display of students’ work and other exemplar materials
• To deploy other adults effectively within the classroom, involving them, where appropriate, in the planning and management of student learning

Progress and Attainment

• To ensure assessment, feedback and monitoring is SMART, accurate and clearly moves students’ learning on across all teachers within the faculty
• To standardise marking with colleagues both within the School and with partner schools
• To rigorously analyse student data to inform planning and intervention programmes
• To lead and attend internal and external meetings as required
• To feedback to students and parents/carers in line with the School policy

Behaviour and Safety

• To collaborate closely with parents to ensure that they are aware of their child's progress, engaged in their development and in supporting them in their vision for the future
• To ensure the absolute safety of all students on and off site
• To model and enforce excellent standards of behaviour within and beyond the faculty 
• To monitor students achievement, attendance, uniform, punctuality and behaviour and to respond promptly to issues in line with the school’s policies
• To participate in the School’s pastoral system as required

School Improvement

• To support the School’s marketing and recruitment plan through attending events, contributing to marketing materials and via high quality interactions with feeder primary schools
• To embody the School’s values both on and off site
• To coach and mentor colleagues as appropriate
• To take on any other duties as reasonably required by the Senior Leadership Team

The above list is not exhaustive and maybe subject to amendment in due course in discussion with the relevant employee.