Job Description
Download printable version
Southend High School for Girls
Head of Spanish
Required for January 2027
Closing date: Wednesday 4th November
Interviews to be held on: w/c Monday 9th November
An exciting opportunity to lead, inspire and make a difference
Southend High School for Girls is seeking an inspirational and ambitious Head of Spanish to lead this popular and successful subject within our thriving Modern Foreign Languages Faculty.
Judged Outstanding in every category by Ofsted (July 2024), we are a school where "pupils flourish and excel" through "stimulating and engaging lessons that light a fire for learning."
Languages are central to our ambitious curriculum. All students study two languages at Key Stage 3, with a modern foreign language compulsory at GCSE. Spanish enjoys excellent outcomes at GCSE and A Level, and we are seeking a talented subject leader with the vision, creativity and determination to build upon this success.
The successful candidate will:
Be an exceptional classroom practitioner, inspiring highly motivated students from Key Stage 3 to A Level.
Provide ambitious leadership of Spanish, securing excellent teaching, learning and achievement.
Develop an engaging curriculum and enriching opportunities that foster a lifelong love of languages and cultures.
Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Faculty, sharing expertise and driving continued improvement.
The ability to teach Spanish confidently to the highest standards at A Level, including A*, is essential
French at Key Stage 3 would be an advantage.
Why join us?
We offer exceptional students, a highly supportive and collaborative staff community, excellent professional development and a culture of high aspiration.
Ofsted praised the "exemplary support and encouragement" students receive and recognised that "the school is relentless in its desire to keep improving."
Our ambition is to move from Outstanding to Exceptional, and we are looking for a Head of Spanish who shares that vision. One of the most powerful endorsements of our school came from a student who told Ofsted inspectors: 'The school will literally help you do anything you want to do.' This spirit of ambition, opportunity and encouragement extends to our staff as well as our students
If you are ready to inspire students, lead with ambition and help shape the future of Spanish at SHSG, we would love to hear from you.
www.shsg.org | recruitment@shsg.org
SHSG is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Appointment is subject to appropriate safeguarding checks, including an enhanced DBS check.
Information about the School
“Pupils flourish and excel at Southend High School for Girls.”
– Ofsted, July 2024
Southend High School for Girls (SHSG) is an outstanding grammar school with academy status, proudly educating generations of students for over a century. We blend tradition with innovation, creating a dynamic learning environment where students are safe, happy, and successful.
Our school is a family-orientated community where pupils thrive. Students achieve exceptionally high outcomes and benefit from an ambitious curriculum and an exemplary careers education programme. As one pupil told Ofsted, “The school will literally help you do anything you want to do.”
We offer a vast range of clubs, trips, productions, and leadership opportunities, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and World Challenge. Students are encouraged to lead and contribute, with many acting as ambassadors and house captains.
SHSG is proud to be a member of NACE (National Association for Able Children in Education), reflecting our commitment to stretching and challenging all learners. Our curriculum goes far beyond the National Curriculum, with students in Key Stage 3 studying three separate sciences and two languages, and engaging in ‘super-curricular’ tasks that promote independent research and critical thinking.
Staff are passionate, well-supported, and receive high-quality professional development. Our shared ethos of high expectations, mutual respect, and continuous improvement makes SHSG a truly special place to work.
If you are enthusiastic about education and excited to join a high-performing, caring school community, we warmly invite you to explore our current vacancies and consider becoming part of the SHSG family.