Teacher of French (Maternity)
Weald of Kent Grammar School, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 2JP26 days remaining to apply
Start date details
March 2026
Closing date
12 January 2026 at 9am
Date listed
17 December 2025
Job details
Job role
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5
Subject
- French
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Fixed term - Until the end of maternity leave - Maternity or parental leave cover
Pay scale
- MPS/UPS
What skills and experience we're looking for
Qualifications
Qualified Teacher Status
Degree or equivalent
Experience
Outstanding classroom teacher and tutor
Sustained performance securing very good student outcomes
The ability to teach French to KS4
The ability to teach French to A-Level
Skills & Knowledge
Able to communicate effectively, orally and in writing
Able to consistently demonstrate effective planning for practical lessons to help support the delivery of outstanding lessons
Confident in own ability to be effective and to take on challenges
Ability to relate well to students, colleagues, parents and Trustees
Effective behaviour management
Able to support students in maintaining high standards
Efficient and effective administrative, organisational and personal management skills
Personal Attributes
Ability to inspire, challenge and motivate
Have a positive approach with a desire to succeed
Energy, enthusiasm and perseverance
Reliability and integrity
Good interpersonal skills
Professional appearance and manner
Positive commitment to individual personal development
Capacity to work hard, under pressure, to meet deadlines and manage time effectively
A good record of attendance
Adaptable and amenable with respect to working practices
Ability to work independently and in a team, take a collaborative approach
Ability to build supportive working relationships with colleagues
Commitment to supporting the full life of the school
Suitable to work with children
To undertake other activities identified from time to time commensurate with the level of the post as determined by your Line Manager or SLT link
To be committed to your own development through the effective use of the School’s CPD processes
To understand your own responsibilities, be committed to and comply with School policies and procedures relating to child protection, health & safety, welfare, security, diversity & equality, confidentiality and data protection, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
To work collaboratively with the wider organisation and act in the interests of the School at all times
To support the delivery of the School’s strategy as it relates to this post
Equal Opportunities
A commitment to inclusive education
What the school offers its staff
Professional Development
Research led CPD programmes, tailored to individual’s aspirations, which are based both in school and across the wider Trust.
A full induction programme for all new staff.
ECT’s will have a lower teaching load, timetabled mentoring sessions and a full programme of training and induction activities.
Unlimited access to the National College CPD platform.
An additional INSET day at the beginning of the academic year dedicated to teacher planning and preparation.
Our “No lesson judgements” policy ensures lesson observations are developmental and supportive.
One INSET day a year dedicated to moderation and curriculum preparation.
Staff Welfare
Data capture that is measured and timely - we report progress home three times a year.
Minimal written reports.
No requirement for teachers to submit lesson plans, even for lesson observations.
Teaching staff are only required to do a maximum of one twenty-minute duty each week.
Supportive yet challenging governance, which understands that teachers are our most valuable resource.
We are a school that appreciates the importance of family. We do our best to support staff when there are issues and requests for additional leave regarding family events and an Additional Leave policy that supports staff when they may need time off school.
A teaching load of 43/50 one-hour periods of teaching per fortnight maximum.
Support
The school calendar is planned in advance across the whole year so people know what is happening and when.
In-house cover supervision team.
A comprehensive pastoral team to help with supporting our students with behaviour and wellbeing.
A highly effective and proactive support staff that play an important role in supporting teaching and learning.
A Marketing, Events and Visits team that are responsible for organising key school events and trips.
Benefits
School budgets are set making the assumption that everybody will get their incremental pay rise.
Cycle to work scheme.
Healthcare cash plan.
Occupational health support.
Priority admission for staff children (see admissions policy on school website).
Employee Discount Scheme (Multiple Retailers – Kent Reward Scheme).
Opportunity to perform paid lunch-time duties (with free lunch).
Free annual flu vaccination.
Employee Assistance Programme.
Free tea and coffee provided in the staff room.
Use of onsite canteen offering hot meals and salad bar.
Opportunities to participate in enrichment activities e.g. theatre visits.
Opportunities for flexible working.
Free on-site parking.
Membership of the Teachers' Pension Scheme(TPS) or Local Government Pension Scheme(LGPS).
Environment
Pleasant working environment with very well-behaved students.
Eleven acres of school grounds set in Green Belt land at Tonbridge Campus.
Further information about the job
Employment Status:Maternity
Full Time/Part Time:Full Time
Salary: MPS/UPS
Start Date: March 2026
About the Post:
All teachers are leaders of learning and are committed to delivering the school’s vision and the high ambitions for the school’s future. Their proactive support leads to sustained improvements and raised standards across the organization. As members of both “Standards” (Faculties) and Development (Tutoring) teams they model and actively implement “Development and Standards” policies and contribute to their development. They are accountable for specific identified and agreed operational functions within the teams to which they belong and which form part of the areas’ day to day work.
All teachers strive to be an outstanding teacher and tutor who also consistently models Professional Standards. All teachers, given the nature of the school’s context, accept that all teaching and tutoring should, when applying the Ofsted criteria, be at least good.
Teachers’ on-going professional development is valued as part of the school’s commitment to Investors in People and staff recognize their responsibility in seeking to improve their practice. Feedback to support professional development is provided formally and informally including through Performance Management reviews and the routine, rigorous and robust Quality Assurance process which underpins the school’s self-evaluation strategies. Staff are aware that underperformance will be challenged and that they will be held accountable for the performance of students for whom they have a direct responsibility. Whilst it is accepted that not all students will realize their full potential evidence of strategies to remove barriers to inclusion and achievement should always be maintained. In addition, all staff support the school’s single opportunity policy and promote community cohesion as well as actively supporting the activities of the school community and the wider community.
The Team:
Languages are an important part of the school’s curriculum at the Weald of Kent. Language learning at the Weald of Kent is exciting and engaging. The Languages team consists of a Head of Faculty who also oversees French, a Head of German and a Head of Spanish.
At Key Stage 3, all students learn French, Spanish or German and continue with this language at GCSE. We have an increasing number of students who choose to take a language at A Level, with up to 15 students in each of Year 12 and 13. We have reintroduced German to the curriculum and have a new cohort of students eligible to take A Level German as well. Students follow the AQA specifications in the relevant language at both GCSE and A Level.
Every member in the Languages team plays their part to help provide a large and varied programme of extra-curricular activities throughout the year. We organise a variety of opportunities for our students to visit France, Germany and Spain on cultural trips and we also celebrate all our languages through a series of events throughout the year. Every classroom has an interactive whiteboard as standard and we have invested in a series of digital textbooks.
Application Closing Date: Monday 12 January 2025, 9am
Shortlist Interview Date: Friday 16 January 2026
Early applications are advised as the School reserves the right to appoint at any stage during the application process.
The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post. As this role involves 'regulated activity' with children the successful applicant will be required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosure application. Employment will be conditional upon the College being satisfied with the result of the Enhanced DBS check and the outcome of all other checks.
The School will also carry out a check of the Children's Barred List on the successful applicant. Applicants should be aware that it is unlawful for the School to employ anyone to work with children if they are barred from doing so, and it is a criminal offence for a person to apply to work with children if they are barred from doing so.
This role is also exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the School is therefore permitted to ask shortlisted applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
Please complete the online application.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
Apply for this jobUpload additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Weald of Kent Grammar School
- School type
- Academy, ages 11 to 18
- Education phase
- Secondary
- School size
- 1902 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Weald of Kent Grammar School website
- Email address
- hr@wealdgs.org
- Phone number
- 01732373500
Weald of Kent is a selective Girls’ Grammar School for 11-18 year olds with a roll of approximately 2000 students including our co-educational Sixth Form. The school is one of the highest performing schools in the country. We aspire to excel at everything we do. Owing to our continued success we were thrilled to have been given permission by the Secretary of State to expand and mirror what we deliver at our Tonbridge campus in a campus at Sevenoaks, which opened in September 2017. In addition to the exciting new facilities, we have also invested in our Tonbridge campus which now has a state-of-the-art Sports Hall and university style Sixth Form Study Centre. A new science block and new English classrooms have been built this year. Both campuses are situated in beautiful rural settings with far reaching views across the Garden of England with excellent transport links.
Arranging a visit to Weald of Kent Grammar School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email hr@wealdgs.org.
School location
Similar jobs nearby
Get a job alert when similar jobs are listed
Find more school jobs in Kent and Medway