French Teacher | Mainstream Academy | Cambridge

CORE PURPOSE We require an engaging, linguistically expert French Teacher to deliver high-quality modern foreign languages instruction across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. Operating within a vibrant, academically ambitious secondary academy, the successful candidate will foster a deep culture of communication and cultural appreciation, embedding grammatical precision, phonological fluency, and authentic vocabulary into the curriculum to prepare all pupils thoroughly for terminal GCSE French public examinations and future international opportunities. THE SCHOOL Our academy operates as an ambitious, inclusive mainstream secondary school dedicated to high academic standards, global citizenship, and cultivating a strong sense of community responsibility. The campus boasts modern, technology-rich languages classrooms alongside a collaborative, forward-thinking staff culture. Our behavior management framework is built upon clear expectations, consistent routines, and mutual respect, maintaining a calm, highly purposeful learning environment that allows pupils to confidently engage in target-language conversation and independent linguistic research. KEY TASKS & DAILY OPERATIONS Immersive Target-Language Instruction: Plan and execute conceptually robust French lessons, balancing the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills while maximizing the purposeful use of the target language in the classroom. Rigorous Examination Preparation: Guide Key Stage 4 cohorts systematically through the demands of GCSE French assessment criteria, explicitly training pupils in spontaneous speaking strategies, translation techniques, and extended analytical writing. Phonological and Grammatical Mastery: Embed systematic phonics and structural grammar instruction from Year 7 onwards, ensuring pupils build a secure foundation in verb conjugations, tense structures, and accurate pronunciation. Data-Led Progress Interventions: Implement targeted formative assessment routines, utilizing regular vocabulary diagnostics and skill tracking to pinpoint areas of misconception, deploying immediate, structured retrieval interventions to maximize student growth. Professional Pastoral Mentorship: Fulfill full form tutor responsibilities within an established pastoral structure, supporting pupils with academic tracking, personal development, and the cultivation of professional workplace soft skills. PROFILE REQUIREMENTS Qualifications: Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or a recognized equivalent teaching credential, paired with a strong honors degree in French, Modern Foreign Languages, or an equivalent near-native fluency in the language. Pedagogical Capability: A proven track record or clear capacity to secure excellent progress metrics in terminal public GCSE French examinations across both Foundation and Higher tiers through communicative, high-impact language pedagogy. Intercultural Literacy: A strong passion for Francophone cultures worldwide, with the ability to confidently integrate authentic literary texts, media, and contemporary cultural case studies into daily tuition. REGIONAL CONTEXT Silicon Fen & International Horizons: Based in the globally renowned university city of Cambridge, the school capitalizes on a unique regional identity where historic academia meets a booming, modern international science and technology sector ("Silicon Fen"). This highly cosmopolitan local context provides a rich backdrop for modern languages, connecting classroom learning to global enterprise, international research institutes, and a community that deeply values multilingualism and global mobility. Connectivity & Infrastructure: The campus is exceptionally well-positioned for commuting professionals from across Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, and Suffolk, utilizing straightforward road linkages via the A14, A10, and M11 motorway corridors. Public transit links are comprehensive, utilizing the city's extensive bus networks, guided busway systems, and Cambridge railway station, which provides regular, direct Greater Anglia and Great Northern services straight to Ely, Peterborough, Stansted, and London King's Cross or Liverpool Street. APPLICATION INTAKE Please submit your current CV to begin the application process.