Head of Department for MFL

Delta Academies Trust; Doncaster; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Delta Academies Trust is seeking a dedicated Head of Department for MFL for Don Valley Academy to lead an outstanding team, teach French and Spanish, and promote language successes. With a strong vision for modern foreign languages, you'll contribute significantly to educational excellence and student success. Join a vibrant academy that values collaboration and professional growth in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Membership to Teachers’ Pension Scheme

Technology and Vehicle Leasing Scheme

24/7 access to online GP

Gym & fitness discounts

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Qualified teacher with expertise in French and Spanish.
• Experience in a leadership role or similar department.
• Passion for modern foreign languages and education.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the MFL department at Don Valley Academy.
• Teach French and Spanish to various key stages.
• Oversee GCSE MFL classes and improve student outcomes.

Skills

Leadership

Teaching

Collaboration

Education

Qualified Teacher Status

Job description

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Salary MPR / UPR (£31,650 to £49,084) with an additional TLR2C payment of £8,279 per annum.

Don Valley Academy are looking to appoint a Head of Department for MFL to join our academy in January 2026 or sooner if possible on a full time, permanent basis.

As our new Head of MFL at Don Valley Academy, you’ll teach French & Spanish to KS3, and either French or Spanish to KS4, and you’ll lead a department of 3 other MFL teachers. At present, the department currently teaches 4 GCSE MFL classes (2 in French, 2 in Spanish) in both Year 10 and Year 11.

We are a high performing department, achieving results that are significantly higher than the national average. In 2024, both French and Spanish achieved more than 90% of students achieving a grade of 4 or higher. Our department has also successfully applied to the British Council’s MFL scheme, so we will be hosting another languages assistant in the coming academic year.

OUR VISION

At Delta Academies Trust we understand the importance of learning a modern foreign language and we believe that every single one of our pupils should have that opportunity. We have invested significant time, expertise, and money in the creation of an outstanding curriculum offer which has increased pupil engagement, and as a result the number of pupils studying MFL in our 17 secondary academies has risen dramatically.

OUR CURRICULUM

We have created carefully sequenced five-year curriculum plans for both French and Spanish using the national curriculum and the key recommendations of the 2016 MFL Pedagogy Review, and we regularly update them. Each one is fully resourced, with detailed lessons prepared for you to adapt to the needs of your classes. We use an online coursebook to underpin our teaching, along with our trust knowledge organisers. Every unit of work includes a cultural topic to help instil a love of languages as well as promote a desire to get to know more about people from those countries. We subscribe to an on-line learning platform to support the learning of vocabulary. Perhaps our biggest and most impressive investment is in our team of modern language assistants. We currently have 17 native speakers in our academies and our pupils love working with them!

How Will We Support You

Our Senior MFL director is a specialist in both French and Spanish and leads a team of two MFL directors and a lead teacher. They are all based in our academies working to support teachers and pupils on a daily basis. We recognise the value of high quality CPD and the director team run subject specific CPD every half term, meaning that staff from across our trust can meet to share best practice and stay up to date with research findings and national developments. Although our curriculum model is standard across our trust, we are all individuals, and you will have the opportunity to develop as a professional in your own right. We pride ourselves on recognising and developing talent and are passionate about sharing our love of teaching languages.

OUR FUTURE

Our director team are held in high regard and have worked with the DFE and the examination boards in consultation about the existing and new GCSEs. We are passionate about languages in any way, shape or form and have recently had four academies approved to join the DFE Latin Centre of Excellence programme. We are currently preparing a bid to become one of 15 MFL hubs in England which would give us the opportunity to help shape the future of MFL teaching at a national level.

Don Valley Academy is a vibrant, oversubscribed, secondary Academy with over 1100 students on roll from Year 7 to 11. We serve a mixed community however, despite these challenges, you will find Don Valley students to be polite and engaged with their learning.

Collaboration is at the heart of the Academy for both students and staff and you will find Don Valley Academy to be positive and reflective towards their own professionalism, with wellbeing as a pivotal aspect of our Academy ethos.

Our most recent Ofsted inspection was in July 2024. There has been no change to the Academy’s overall judgement of ‘Good’ as a result of this ungraded (Section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be ‘Outstanding’ if a graded (Section 5) inspection were carried out.

Don Valley Academy is proud to be an EEF Research School. One of only 33 Research Schools across England, we work to exemplify our evidence informed teaching and learning strategies, share what we know about putting research into practice, and support schools in the region to make better use of evidence to inform and improve their teaching and learning.

We are very proud of our Academy and the opportunities available for staff and students alike. We would love to show you around so you can find out more for yourself about what your career could look like with us. Please contact us directly at [e-mail] if you would like to arrange a visit.

WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?

Ultimately, we understand that our pupils are most successful when they feel happy, valued, challenged, and supported to achieve their very best. We believe this also applies to our staff. We are passionate about giving people the chance to develop and progress their careers.

As a Trust, we have developed an extensive range of employee benefits that focus on your Financial, Physical and Mental Wellbeing. Here are just a few examples in each area…

Financial Wellbeing:

• Membership to either the Teachers’ Pension Scheme or the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Technology scheme and Vehicle Leasing Scheme*
• Access to an extensive discounts platform

Physical Wellbeing:

• 24/7 access to an online GP or Advanced Nurse Practitioner for you & your household
• Gym & fitness discounts
• Cycle to Work scheme*
• Free annual flu jab
• Access to an industry-leading Employee Assistance Programme
• Trained Mental Health First Aiders in all our settings
• Subject to ensuring NMW is maintained

Visits to the academy would be warmly welcomed by appointment. Please contact the academy on 01302 651035 if you would like to arrange a visit.

In accordance with DfE Keeping Children Safe in Education, an online search will be completed on all shortlisted applicants prior to interview. Any relevant information will be discussed further with the applicant during the recruitment process.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Education and Training

• Industries

  Primary and Secondary Education

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