Job Description
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Brentwood School is seeking to appoint an outstanding Head of Italian to lead a dynamic and thriving Italian department. Italian at Brentwood is currently taught by two members of staff with Italian being part of a wider, very large MFL Department comprising thirteen full-time members of staff, six part-time members of staff, and three native speaker assistants. Italian, German, French, Spanish, and Chinese are all taught within the MFL Department.
At Brentwood School, Italian is taught in Years 9-11 and in Sixth Form, with our first Year 11 cohort taking exams this summer. On entering the School at Year 7, pupils choose two modern languages: one of French or Spanish; and one of German or Chinese. They continue with both of these languages throughout Years 7 and 8, and all students must study at least one Modern Foreign Language to IGCSE. Italian is offered ab initio at Year 9, with students then preparing for the IGCSE in Year 11 as usual; we have 65 students opted for Year 9 Italian for September. In Sixth Form, we offer Italian in the IB Diploma Programme: Italian B at Higher Level and Standard Level, and Italian A Literature for bilingual speakers. The growth and success of our Italian programme means we will likely require an additional teacher to teach Italian in due course.
Teachers use authentic materials and develop tailored resources to enhance their teaching. One of the strategic development goals for the MFL department is to develop a "bilingual" pedagogy, in which history, geography and culture are taught through the target language. We have invested considerably in online resources and iPad teaching and all teachers are expected to exploit and develop the opportunities this offers for student motivation and teaching and learning.
The MFL Department aims to encourage as many pupils as possible to learn languages and to maintain and stimulate lasting pupil curiosity and interest. A high proportion of our Sixth Form pupils go on to read Modern Languages at top universities, including Oxbridge.
Our motto, "Virtue, Learning, Manners", taken from the School statutes of 1622, encapsulates our vision for our students and staff. As an academic institution, we recognise the importance of investing in our people and the value of continuing professional development.
Competitive salary
Optional subsidised private health care
Free School lunches during term time
Employee Support Programme
Cashplan scheme with discounts for hundreds of high street and online brands
Cycle to Work Scheme
Free Brentwood School Sports Centre membership
Free on-site parking
Warm working environment, stunning school grounds and positive culture
The excellent attitude and behaviour of the pupils
Small class sizes
Outstanding resources
Free tickets to all of our regular high-quality concerts, musicals, shows, recitals and other entertainment held at School
(Not a contractual benefit)
For further information about working at Brentwood School, please refer to our school websitewww.brentwoodschool.co.uk
To apply for this position, please complete the School application form and return it, along with a covering letter and CV, by email to:recruitment@brentwood.essex.sch.uk by the closing date indicated. The School reserves the right to change these dates, and to close the vacancy at any time.
Information about the School
Brentwood School is one of the UK's leading independent day and boarding schools for boys and girls aged 3 to 18 with a history spanning almost 500 years. We are an academically selective HMC co-educational independent school with small class sizes and a happy, ambitious and supportive staff team. Along with 12 other schools in the country, we follow the 'Diamond Model' whereby girls and boys are taught together up to age 11, separately from 11 to 16 and together again in the Sixth Form. Set within a 75-acre site, in the heart of Brentwood town and just 20 minutes from London Liverpool Street, our campus provides a stimulating environment for innovative teaching and a first-class education for over 1600 pupils."