Teacher of Modern Foreign Languages

Thank you for your interest in the post. We wish to appoint from September 2021 a well-qualified, enthusiastic and committed Teacher of Modern Foreign Languages. Ideally the successful candidate will be able to teach French to at least Key Stage 4, plus Spanish to Key Stage 3. The post is 0.8 part-time and permanent.  The position would suit an NQT or experienced teacher.  

This is an excellent opportunity to join one of Oxfordshire’s largest and most successful schools judged ‘Outstanding by OFSTED in the latest inspection. Effective  administrative systems support the two sites.  Students are well-behaved and motivated, and there is a strong sense of community in Thame, with a committed parent support base.

We are exceptionally strong in terms of pastoral support for all students and have the highest     expectations for individual achievement whatever the starting points. Outside the classroom there are wonderful extra-curricular activities for all.  Students leave the school successful and well-rounded individuals. There is a ‘buzz’ about learning in the school and our students are fortunate to be supported in their learning by dedicated teachers and support staff. Staff training and professional development are always a developmental priority and many of our staff move on to promotions in other schools.

The School

The school is the only school serving the market town of Thame and surrounding villages. It is a popular school and always oversubscribed. It is a split site school – Years 7-9 on our Lower School site and Years 10 -13 on our Upper School site. There are around 500 students in our Sixth Form and we attract many students from other schools, post-16. Teamwork is a key feature of school life and so is partnership with our feeder primary schools. There is a strong drive to establish powerful curriculum links cross phase with teachers collaborating on a range of projects.

The Languages Faculty

The school has a strong commitment to teaching Modern Languages. This is reflected in the quality of our accommodation, our resources and in the curriculum we offer. The team comprises 10  teachers with very good part-time administrative support on each site. The Head of Faculty is supported by Team Leaders for French, German, Spanish and Key Stage 3.  We also have three full-time  Foreign Language Assistants. Team members are motivated, friendly and very supportive.    Although staff may work mainly on one site, all have a timetable which includes teaching across a variety of year groups.

Curriculum

French and German are taught to roughly equal numbers of students as a first foreign language in Years 7 and 8.  Starting in September 2021, students will take up a second foreign language alongside their first modern foreign language. This is a new initiative for the faculty and the final details are still being discussed. This will bring Spanish into Year 8. In Years 10 and 11 students can study French, German or Spanish to GCSE and we have had a 100% pass rate in recent years.  We also offer an ABC Award in Practical Languages in French German and Spanish.  French, Spanish and German are taught to A and AS Level.  The faculty is committed to Assessment for Learning techniques across all Key Stages.  Students have access to an AQA course book and a personal log in for  Kerboodle.  The Faculty has a very strong ethos of sharing good practice and resources.

At Key Stage 3 students are taught in tutor groups during Years 7 and 8 and there is some setting in Year 9 when the timetable is blocked to facilitate this. There are comprehensive schemes of work and a bank of assessments at different levels for each subject in each year group. The faculty has introduced textbooks relating to the National Strategy Framework for Languages in Years 7, 8 and 9.  All students are encouraged to bring dictionaries to lessons. 

At Key Stage 4 there is some setting but the majority of students are taught in mixed attainment groups. 

In Years 12 and 13 we teach the AQA syllabus. 

Resources

The faculty is extremely well resourced.  On each site there is a dedicated suite of specialist rooms, each with a team room.  All classrooms have carpets, networked computers and projectors, blackout and listening facilities.  Some MFL classrooms have interactive whiteboards.

At Key Stage 3 we use Allez and Zoom. At KS4, we use the AQA course book and Kerboodle in class and students have full access to Kerboodle at home.  At Key Stage 5 we use the fully interactive AQA course in all languages.  The course books are supplemented with a wide range of commercial and home-produced materials.

Extra-Curricular Work

We have a lively and exciting programme of exchanges.  In Year 9 students may participate in   exchange programmes to Bonn and Ploufragan, Brittany.  In the Sixth Form students of German visit Berlin and Munich; students of French have the opportunity to go to Paris and  there is a Sixth Form trip to Granada and Barcelona.  We have developed a link with Onatti Theatre Productions and students in Year 7 are able to watch a Foreign Language play.