Head of Modern Foreign Languages

(full-time; permanent)

St Margaret’s School for Girls is the oldest all-through girls’ school in Scotland and the only single sex school in Aberdeen. The school enjoys a fine reputation for academic excellence. We offer a wide choice of subjects and extra-curricular activities, and encourage all girls to aim high. Further details may be found on our website:

We are seeking a suitably qualified graduate with a proven track record of excellent teachingof French and Spanish up to Advanced Higher level to lead the teaching of modern languages upon the relocation of a long-serving Head of Department.

At St Margaret’s, French is taught throughout the junior school and senior school. Pupils then have the opportunity to learn German or Spanish from the second year of senior school and all three languages are taught up to National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher. A Mandarin course is run after school for interested pupils, some of whom go on to further study of Mandarin through the Confucius Institute at The University of Aberdeen. The department comprises four teachers and three language assistants. It is well resourced and is based in attractive classrooms in the senior school. The department has long offered a stimulating range of trips, exchanges and extra-curricular activities and the successful applicant for this post will be committed to organising and leading such activities.

St Margaret’s School operates its own salary scale which is above the national pay scale. Subject to satisfying eligibility criteria, the successful applicant will be automatically enrolled into the Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme, but will have the right to opt out. Daughters of staff who attend the school will be eligible for a 40% remission on school fees. St Margaret’s has an Employee Assistance Programme which offers free and confidential advice on both work and personal issues.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to teach a lesson, which will be observed.

Job Description

Teaching Role

  1. To prepare and maintain schemes of work.
  2. To prepare pupils for internal and external assessment.
  3. To mark and moderate pupils' work.
  4. To provide a stimulating learning environment for pupils.
  5. To write reports.
  6. To maintain pupils' records.
  7. To liaise with form teachers, guidance staff and support for learning staff regarding the work of individual pupils.
  8. To provide consultation for pupils and their parents.
  9. To participate in the school’s professional learning programme.
  10. To develop and implement teaching and learning strategies in line with school policy.
  11. To cover for colleagues as required.
  12. To attend parents’ evenings.
  13. To take part in school open days.
  14. To contribute to the positive, inclusive ethos and extra-curricular life of St Margaret’s School.

Head of Department Role

  1. To set an example in all areas of professional life, seeking to maintain high personal standards and keeping in touch with developments in the wider world of modern language teaching.
  2. The leadership of the department in the co-ordination and preparation of its schemes of work and in the effective deployment of its resources and facilities.
  3. The leadership of departmental quality assurance in order to ensure the highest possible standards of teaching, assessment and reporting.
  4. The timetabling arrangements, where these pertain, within the department.
  5. The carrying out of specific administrative tasks associated with the organisation and co-ordination of all internal and public examinations in modern languages, including the setting, marking and assessing of papers/coursework.
  6. To record tracking data on the school’s educational management system in line with school policy.
  7. To ensure that the school’s homework policy is implemented within the department.
  8. To plan, implement and review the curriculum within national guidelines.
  9. To inform the Head of developments in modern languages and examinations, and of the possible implications these may have for St Margaret's School.
  10. The preparation and submission of the annual budgetary requirements for the department.
  11. The organisation and co-ordination of such trips, exchanges, visits and extra-curricular activities as may add enrichment to the day-to-day teaching in the department.
  12. Regular attendance each term at the Heads of Department meetings.
  13. To share in supervisory duties at examination time.
  14. To organise examination entries for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher.
  15. To liaise closely with the Marketing Office and the Editor of ‘The Chronicle’, providing images of pupils’ work when required; to maintain lively displays of pupils’ work throughout the school; to ensure that the modern languages pages of the school website are up-to-date.
  16. To organise appropriate promotional events related to the department and to encourage healthy recruitment of pupils to National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses.

Closing dateTuesday 13th March 2018

Start dateMonday 20th August 2018

17 Albyn Place, ABERDEEN, AB10 1RU. Tel – 01224-584466

St Margaret’s School for Girls is registered as a charity with OSCR (reg no. SC 016265)