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Deputy Head of Modern Foreign Language
Sawston Village College, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3BP9 days remaining to apply
Job start date
1 September 2025
Closing date
4 March 2025 at 11:59pm
Date listed
13 February 2025
Job details
Job role
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3, Key stage 4
Subjects
- French, German, Spanish
Working pattern
- Full time: Monday to Friday, 32.5 hours per week, term time.
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- Classroom Teacher Pay Scale M1 (£31,650) to U3 (£49,084)
Additional allowances
Deputy Head of Modern Foreign Languages - TLR 2.1
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are now seeking to appoint an enthusiastic, creative and inspirational teacher to join our successful team to share their love of modern foreign languages with our pupils. You will be able to teach French and Spanish at KS3 with at least one to GCSE. The ability to teach German would be an advantage but is not essential. The post is available from September 2025.
Many pupils at the College choose to study languages at GCSE, despite it being optional, because of the enjoyable and positive experience they have of the subject; the department is also renowned for the opportunities available to pupils for residential trips abroad. The MFL team is characterised by its supportive and friendly ethos.
This post will provide the successful applicant with a wealth of opportunity to develop their classroom practice and career. Applications are welcomed from Early Career Teachers, as well as those with more experience looking for their next position in a department and school with aspirations for excellence for all.
Languages teachers in Cambridgeshire may be eligible for early-career payments worth up to £7,500 and/or be eligible to claim back student loan repayments.
What the school offers its staff
Anglian Learning offers the following benefits to staff.
- Teachers: Teachers’ Pension Scheme
- Career Average Revalued Earnings Pension Scheme (CARE)
- Free membership to all Anglian Leisure’s Sports Centres - Bassingbourn, Bottisham, Sawston, Joyce Frankland, Linton and Netherhall
- 20% Discount on Adult Education Classes run by Anglian Learning Schools
- Employee Assistance Programme via Health Assured
- Cycle To Work Salary Sacrifice Scheme
- Discounted Eye Care Vouchers
- Annual Flu Jab Vouchers
Further details about the role
Department Profile
The Modern Foreign Languages Faculty comprises five staff who are extremely dedicated and work together as a cohesive team achieving good results.
We have high expectations of all pupils and create a working climate in our classrooms to encourage all pupils to fulfil their potential. At the centre of our work is a focus on high quality, effective teaching and learning. We are committed to providing and encouraging high levels of challenge, feedback, pupil independence and engagement in all our lessons.
As part of the curriculum we offer pupils three languages: French, Spanish and German. Pupils in all year groups can also study Italian (at Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced level) in extra-curricular classes, which can lead to a full GCSE qualification.
On entering the College, Year 7 study either French or Spanish. In Year 8, some pupils will also study German in addition to the language that they learnt in Year 7, according to their ability and motivation.
At Key Stage 4, pupils are encouraged to choose to study at least one foreign language. Pupils follow the AQA GCSE syllabus. At Key Stage 3, we have redeveloped our pedagogy and currently use a combination of NCELP resources and sentence-builder activities. A number of pupils also study two languages to GCSE level and many continue to study at least one language to A level.
The Faculty also runs foreign trips. Our Year 8 Spanish pupils are going to Barcelona this June whilst the Y8 French pupils are visiting Paris. We are hoping with time to build more residential trips, ideally exchanges, at Key Stage 4.
Thank you for taking the time to consider joining the MFL Team. We hope that this outline has given you an overview of the department.
Commitment to safeguarding
Anglian Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff to share this commitment and those in regulated activity will be subject to an Enhanced DBS Check and online checks. Certificate of Good Conduct and other applicable checks may be requested.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. Our policies for Ex-Offenders, GDPR, Safeguarding and Recruitment can be found on our website: www.anglianlearning.org.
Applying for the job
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs are not accepted.
Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Sawston Village College
- School type
- Academy, ages 11 to 16
- Education phase
- Secondary
- School size
- 1162 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report (opens in new tab)
- School website
- Sawston Village College website (opens in new tab)
- Email address
- gstewart@sawstonvc.org
- Phone number
- 01223712814
Sawston Village College is an inclusive, comprehensive 11-16 academy, set on a picturesque open campus, a few miles south of the culturally iconic and aspirational city of Cambridge. It was the first purpose-built Village College in England and we are proud of the fact that it is still heralded as a model for community education and remains true to Henry Morris’ founding principles. Many members of the local community visit each week to participate in learning, sporting or leisure activities. We are also proud to be a founding member of the Anglian Learning Trust, a family of like-minded schools serving over 5500 pupils from ages 3-19 in this region. The Trust affords us opportunities to learn from each other, prosper from outstanding leadership development and build strong professional networks to achieve ambitious objectives.
Sawston Village College
Thank you very much for your interest in a position at Sawston Village College. We sincerely hope that the information below and enclosed within this pack will encourage you to apply to our friendly and vibrant school.
We are a very welcoming and highly successful school, one in which all staff are valued, and all contribute to our strong caring ethos. The College is named the State 11-16 Secondary School of the Year in The Sunday Times Parent Power list (The Sunday Times, 8 December 2024). Pupils are at the centre of all that we do but we can only succeed when all professionals work together, collaboratively and supportively, to ensure a positive, safe and calm learning environment in which all pupils can thrive. We ensure our staff have the resources, development and opportunities to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. Staff wellbeing is vital to our success, and we consider workload and the working environment very carefully.
We want staff to feel happy, secure and enjoy their work.
Sawston Village College is an inclusive, comprehensive 11-16 academy, set on a picturesque open campus, a few miles south of the culturally iconic and aspirational city of Cambridge. It was the first purpose-built Village College in England, and we are proud of the fact that it is still heralded as a model for community education and remains true to Henry Morris’ founding principles. Many members of the local community visit each week to participate in learning, sporting or leisure activities. We are proud to be a member of Anglian Learning, a family of like-minded schools serving over 8000 pupils from ages 3-19 in this region.
Our focus is the achievement and wellbeing of our 1180 pupils within a school culture based on community, ambition, respect and endeavour. In 2024, the College achieved above national averages at all levels including 73% gaining grade 5+ in English and Maths, 47% at grade 7 or above across all subjects and a very positive P8 score. Pupils secure their preferred post-16 pathway having achieved grades significantly well above average. Academic success, of course, is only one measure and, as an Artsmark Platinum accredited school, we are equally proud of our extensive extra-curricular offer as well as our aim to help all pupils leave with confidence, enriched experiences and hope for the future. Our code of conduct demands that our pupils also understand and appreciate the need for kindness, humility, politeness and good grace.
This success is based upon the following key principles. Firstly, a firm commitment to the belief that all pupils, regardless of ability or background, are able to achieve their potential and have the best opportunities to succeed in education, employment and life. Secondly, a determination to recruit, develop and retain the very best staff, by providing varied and exciting personalised opportunities for professional development, and a caring, supportive environment with an emphasis on teamwork, collaboration and staff well-being. Thirdly, a firm conviction that teaching and learning can only flourish where pupils are well behaved and respectful. Therefore, we have very high expectations and set exacting standards enabling staff and pupils to feel safe and happy. We provide outstanding pastoral care of our young people. Each pupil is a member of a vertical tutor group and a House. Non-teaching pastoral leads work very closely with our inclusion team, safeguarding team and SLT, to ensure that all pupils are known, valued, cared for and encouraged to do and be the best they can. We pride ourselves on the professionalism of our staff and our commitment to ethical leadership; as role models for the young, how we behave as leaders is as important as what we do.
Sawston Village College, as noted by our recent Ofsted report in May 2023, is a highly professional and exceptionally friendly, caring and enjoyable place in which to work and teach. Our staff surveys are highly positive and reflect the care and attention we pay to looking after staff and making the College the success it is for staff and pupils alike. During these turbulent times, we are keen to recruit people with resilience, adaptability and optimism for a better future. Above all, we are looking for staff who take pride in their work, enjoy the company of children and can harness the power of education to transform lives and inspire our future generation.
Thank you, in anticipation, for the time you will give to your application.
Mr J Russell
Principal
Arranging a visit to Sawston Village College
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email gstewart@sawstonvc.org.
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