& Language College
“Learning and Achieving Together”
Teacher of Languages MPG
Modern Languages
Introduction
Meadowhead School & Language College lays great importance upon its Modern Languages provision. Four modern foreign languages are well established in the school: French, German, Spanish and Russian. Italian is presently taught as twilight in Key Stage 3 (and pupils have the opportunity to do GCSE in Year 10). Chinese is also offered as twilight clubs in Key Stage 3.
Since September 2010 we have been teaching AS leading to A2 courses in our core languages.
At present all pupils in Year 7 study 2 languages, French, German or Spanish. In Year 8 and 9 pupils continue to study a second language. Those pupils for whom the study of a second language is deemed inappropriate will be advised to continue with one language only in Years 8 and 9.
Towards the end of Year 9 pupils will have a further choice to make: whether to study one or two languages in Key Stage 4. In accordance with the school policy all pupils study one modern foreign language to Key Stage 4 and many choose to study two. According to ability pupils study their chosen languages to either GCSE or NVQ Level 1 or 2. NVQ Levels 1 and 2 are offered in German, French and Spanish.
The Modern Languages Faculty is very proud of comments made by inspectors in our past Ofsted inspections. In the most recent OFSTED (September 2008) colleagues were again praised for the high quality of teaching and learning and the impact of the Language College status on the wider community.
In July 2003 we achieved Excellence in Cities ‘Lead Department’ status within Sheffield, Rotherham and the Wirral LEA partnership. This ongoing project recognises excellent practice in teaching and learning and excellent management by its team leaders. We also have gained International School Award twice: the only school in the city to do so to date.
The Teaching Staff
The Faculty is led by Mrs Anja Kelly (Curriculum Leader: MFL) and comprises twelve full-time and three part-time teachers. All colleagues offer at least two languages and every effort is made on the timetable to accommodate colleagues with classes in each of their specialities. Mrs Kelly is supported by Subject Leaders in French, German and Spanish. There are also additional post-holders for Primary Liaison and NVQ Business Languages/ICT to support Language College developments. Each year we also employ French, German and Spanish assistants.
As part of our team we have a Language College Manager, Ms Jo Allen, who is responsible for the community elements of the Language College, and a Faculty Assistant.
The Faculty is experienced, dedicated and accustomed to working as a team to achieve success. Much effort goes into extra-curricular activities, for example language taster sessions, extra conversation after school, computer club and intensive courses and trips abroad. Language courses take place in Normandy, the Rhineland, Spain and in Moscow. Work experience in France, Germany and Spain are offered and we also have a flourishing Spanish, German and French exchange
Through Language College developments the school has an exchange link with a school in Nanjing in China, a recently developed link with Sri Lanka and at present we are developing a link with Japan.
Accommodation and Resources
The Modern Languages Faculty is housed on its own wing and has ten classrooms, which are dedicated to Languages.
Each classroom has an interactive whiteboard, tape recorders and OHPs are also available; catering for all styles of teaching. The Language Faculty also has two brand new fully equipped multimedia rooms at its disposal and all MFL teaching staff are provided with a laptop computer.
Language Classes and Courses 2010/2011
Year 7 / 4 groups take French & German4 groups take German & Spanish
4 groups take Spanish & French / § 3 x 60 minute lessons per week; shared
Between two languages
Year 8 / 5 groups take Spanish (1st lang)
5 groups take French (1st lang)
5 groups take German (1st lang)
3 groups take Spanish (2nd lang)
2 groups take Russian (2nd lang)
2 groups take French (2nd lang)
2 groups take German (2nd lang) / § 4 x 60 minute lessons per week:
shared between two languages
Year 9 / 5 groups take French (1st lang)
5 groups take German (1st lang)
5 groups take Spanish (2nd lang)
2 groups take Russian (2nd lang)
2 groups take French (2nd lang)
3 groups take German (2nd lang)
2 groups take Spanish (2nd lang) / § As Year 8
Year 10 / 6 groups take French
6 groups take German
6 groups take Spanish
1 group takes Russian / § 3 x 60 minute lessons per week. GCSE courses follow the WJEC course.
§ NVQ Levels 1 and 2 are also offered
Year 11 / 5 groups take French
7 groups take German
6 groups take Spanish
1 group takes Russian / § 3 x 60 minute lessons per week
§ NVQ Levels 1 and 2 are also offered
Year 12 / 1 group to be German
1 group take Spanish
1 group take French / 5 x 60 minute lessons per week
Shared with Norton College
Basic Course Books
Key Stage 3
French: Expo
German: Echo
Russian: Firth Park Russian Materials: Iskra
Spanish: Listos
Key Stage 4
French: Expo 4 / French for Business
German: Echo 4 / German for Business
Russian: Iskra 3: Novige Druzhia
Spanish: Listos 3 / Spanish for Business
A range of other books is available for use in class sets and a whole range of sound and video tape recordings are also readily available to supplement courses.
Examples of books available
Avantage Communications
Au Secours Deutsch Heute 1, 2 and 3
Tu parles francais J’aime ecouter
Sag Mal Porte ouverte
Hör Zu Fertig
Passeport Hilfe
Reisepaß Arriba 2
Vaya 1, 2 and 3 Metro
Listos Treffpunkt
Logo
A range of readers and ICT software in all languages.
Russian materials are very difficult to come by and many of the resources have been home produced.
In all languages the Faculty has been extremely diligent in the preparation of supplementary materials, including ICT resources, which are on a shared area. We are constantly adding to this wealth of materials and we look to appoint new colleagues who are keen, and prepared, to work as part of a very energetic, active team. The Faculty is committed to a communicative methodology and the use of the target language where appropriate in the classroom.
The Key Stage 3 strategy is embedded in our Key Stage 3 schemes of work.
The Future
§ It is our firm intention to maintain the present provision of diversification and to continue to offer languages for all through both Key Stage 3 and 4. The Leadership Team is very supportive of the faculty.
Post 16 developments began in 2010 with ‘AS’ level in core languages, leading to A2. For the future we plan to offer further Post 16 languages courses.
§ NVQ courses in French, German and Spanish will continue to develop.
§ The Key Stage 3 strategy is also prominent in our development plan.
§ We aim to continue development of the use of ICT for both teaching and learning.
§ We aim to build on the achievements of the Language College. We are at present in our third phase as a Language College
§ As a ‘Lead Department’ within the LEA we intend to continue to share good practice with other colleagues.
§ Support for Primary Languages is also a key objective.
§ The Faculty is constantly reviewing performance and aims to be increasingly successful in what we achieve. Our GCSE results in languages are above or on a level with the national average.
The Faculty is looking for an energetic, dedicated and industrious person with initiative, offering German and French to GCSE level and preferably to A level, who can help us progress still further in our aim to produce pupils who take an interest in languages, have a respect for our European partners and who make the most of their linguistic ability.
/ MEADOWHEAD SCHOOLJOB DESCRIPTION
This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment
SCHOOL / MEADOWHEAD SCHOOLPOST TITLE / CLASS TEACHER
GRADE / MAIN PAY SCALE
RESPONSIBLE TO / HEADTEACHER / DEPUTY HEADTEACHER
RESPONSIBLE FOR
HOLIDAY AND SICKNESS RELIEF
PURPOSE OF JOB / · TO TEACH DESIGNATED PUPILS AND UNDERTAKE ASSOCIATED PASTORAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES AS WELL AS OTHER GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES, HAVING FULL REGARD FOR THE SCHOOL’S ETHOS, AIMS AND POLICIES
· TO UNDERTAKE TASKS RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CURRICULUM AREA
JOB DESCRIPTION FOR POST OF:- CLASS TEACHER
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The post holder must at all times carry out his/her responsibilities within the spirit of City Council and School policies and within the framework of the Education Act 2002, and School Standards and Framework Act 1998 with particular regard to statutory responsibilities of the Governing Bodies of Schools.
Employment Duties
To be performed in accordance with the provisions of the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions document and within the range of teachers’ duties set out in that document (Part XII of the ‘Teachers Pay and Conditions Document’).
General Responsibilities
· To pursue the aims of the school in a positive manner and promote the agreed ethos
· To work co-operatively within a whole staff team, and within the year/teaching and learning group to achieve continuous improvement with constant regard to quality in both learning and teaching
· To teach pupils according to their individual needs, including the planning and assessment of work in line with agreed policies of the school
· To monitor and assess children’s progress and report to parents
· To implement and maintain the school’s policy on discipline and behaviour
· To support the school’s endeavours to meet the needs of its community
· Participate in the school’s performance management process
Particular Responsibilities
· To promote the organisation of the learning and teaching throughout the school
Key Tasks
Class Teacher Tasks:
· To plan programmes of work for pupils in co-operation with teaching colleagues within the team in order to ensure that all children are taught by members of that team experience similar learning opportunities
· To plan work matched to the individual needs of children and within the school’s agreed policy and schemes of work
· To produce written records of such planning in accordance with school policy
· To assess and record pupil’s achievements and progress within the statutory requirements and school’s assessment policy and report to parents
· To contribute to meetings, discussions and management systems necessary to ensure the co-ordination of the work of the school as a whole
· To ensure that the classroom is kept tidy and attractive, with children’s resources readily available for them to find independently
· To contribute to the ideas within and the implementation of the School Improvement Plan
· To supervise the use of support staff relevant to the class
· To contribute to the provision of a safe and secure learning environment.
Subject related duties
Please note that the postholder should undertake these duties in an advisory role and is not accountable for making policy decisions. The postholder is not accountable for the whole school or key stage outcomes for that subject area.
· To keep abreast of developments in the postholders agreed curriculum area and disseminate these to colleagues
· To identify aspects of the curriculum area that need developing within the school and aid that development by contributing to staff meetings, staff training events and whole school development
· To advise colleagues where to go for information and advice about training and support materials in this curriculum area
· To advise and co-operate with the headteacher and other relevant staff on the preparation and development of:
o Programmes of study for pupils
o Teaching materials which address differentiation
o Teaching programmes
o Methods and styles of teaching
o Assessment (including formative and summative assessment)
o Pastoral arrangements
o A school policy for this curriculum area
· To recommend the purchase of appropriate resources, within a set budget
· To support the work of other staff including:
o Assisting with an audit of staff skills and training needs in this curriculum area
o Helping to prepare a draft staff development plan for the curriculum area
o Consulting with staff on the content of the development plan
o Advising staff of appropriate in-service training within the curriculum area
· To undertake agreed professional development activity in relation to this curriculum area
· To assist the headteacher and other relevant staff in developing systematic procedures for the monitoring and reviewing of the planning, outcomes and delivery of this curriculum area.
Footnotes:
(i) The above details are not exhaustive and the postholder may be required to undertake tasks, roles, and responsibilities as may reasonably be assigned to him/her by the Senior Management Team.
(ii) This job description may be reviewed at anytime via consultation between the governing body and/or Senior Management Team Representatives and the postholder as may be necessary and appropriate to the needs of the school.
Trade Union representation will be welcomed in any such consultations.
November 2009
PERSON SPECIFICATION
POST: TEACHER
Essential Requirements / Indicative method of assessmentQualifications
§ Qualified Teacher status§ Evidence of participation in professional development or study
/ § Application Form§ Application Form
Experience
§ Successful teaching experience in a secondary school or evidence of successful completion of initial teacher training./ § Application Form/References
Knowledge
§ Knowledge of the National Curriculum requirements in the subject(s) area§ Understands and is familiar with teaching and learning strategies. / § Application Form/Interview/References
§ Application Form/Interview/References
Skills/Abilities
§ Teaching to a high standard§ Relates to and motivates students
§ Works well within and contributes to team development
§ Understands and values the processes of planning as an aid to raising standards
§ Good classroom management
§ Evidence of a commitment to an equal opportunities policy both in service delivery and employment / § Application Form/Interview/References
§ Application Form/Interview/References
§ Interview/References
§ Interview/References
§ Interview/References
§ Application Form/Interview/References
Completing your Application