Head of MFL

Rookwood School

Vacancy Details

Position: Head of Modern Foreign Languages

Hours of Work: Full Time

Contract terms: Permanent

Contract type: Term Time

Ideal Start date: 01/09/2025

Place of Work: Rookwood School, Weyhill Road, Andover SP10 3AL

We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic, inspiring, committed and well qualified Head of Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) to lead a well-established department and contribute to its excellent results at all levels.

The successful candidate will be expected to teach and provide learning opportunities for pupils from KS1 – KS5. The post holder will be expected to actively lead and the future development of the subject both within the curriculum and in extracurricular activities.

Nestled on a leafy site in Andover, Rookwood School is a happy and thriving learning environment for pupils aged 2 to 18. At the heart of our ethos is strong pastoral care, where every individual is treated with respect and dignity. Our school motto, ‘Sapere Aude,’ translates to ‘dare to know’ or ‘have the courage to understand’, perfectly capturing the essence of our identity. We encourage our pupils to question, explore, and achieve more than they ever thought possible.

At Rookwood School languages are highly valued. We place a strong emphasis on the study of Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) with all pupils studying both French, German and Spanish in Years 7, 8 and 9 and then specialising in two of these languages in Years 8 and 9. The large majority of pupils continue to GCSE level in at least one language. At A Level we offer French, German and Spanish, these are popular subjects.

At Rookwood the Modern Foreign Languages department offers many opportunities for pupils to practise their language skills in locations such as Normandy, The Rhineland, Paris and Berlin, as part of a residential cultural exchange.

We are looking for a Head of MFL who can:

• Provide professional leadership, direction and management of the MFL Curriculum in order to secure high quality teaching, the effective use of resources and improved standards of learning and achievement for all pupils.
• Must be able to teach up to A Level, in one language or more, from French, German and/or Spanish.
• Actively support the schools extra-curricular programme
• Help to motivate and encourage our pupils to develop and reach their potential in all MFL subjects.

In return we will offer you:

• A professional, hardworking and supportive team of staff with the capability and desire to raise student achievement even further
• Enthusiastic students who are willing to learn and are proud of their learning environment
• Opportunities for further professional development
• Employee assistance provision
• Access to reduced educational fees for qualifying children
• A caring and supportive working environment within a vibrant school community

Applications are invited to be submitted via our online application portal: https://applicant.website/i/65A755/vacancy-info/0000000738 

The closing date for application is – 17th March 2025

The full Job Description can be obtained directly from the vacancies section on our school website - www.rookwoodschool.org/vacancies.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the date advertised.

Rookwood School is totally committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, as all new staff will be subject to enhanced DBS clearance, identity checks, right to work in the UK, qualification checks and employment checks to include an exploration of any gaps within employment and two satisfactory references.

All positions which involve working with children are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974).