Head of Spanish

Head of Spanish

Permanent from 1 September 2026

The Board of Governors wishes to appoint a full‑time permanent teacher as Head of Spanish effective from 1 September 2026.

The School currently offers Spanish at KS3, KS4 and A‑level and the staffing complement in the department (including the HoD) is 1 full‑time teacher and 2 part‑time teachers (approximately FTE
1). There is a strong tradition of high‑quality teaching in Spanish at Glenlola, with excellent external examination results obtained at GCSE, AS and A2 levels. The person appointed will be expected to demonstrate high quality teaching at all key stages, and have outstanding leadership, administrative and interpersonal skills. Full competence in ICT is necessary.

The role of Head of Department is critical in driving improvement and ensuring high standards of pupil achievement. Successful Heads of Department achieve two important goals. They develop conditions that are highly conducive to student learning, and they create a culture of learning among the staff that supports creativity, change and improvement.

The person appointed will be responsible to the Headmaster, for the quality of teaching and learning delivered to pupils in Spanish throughout the School. He/She will be required to deliver the approved specifications and programmes of study and keep abreast of revisions and developments in the subject.

Under the direction of the Headmaster and, where appropriate, Dr Spence (Vice Principal), the member of staff fulfilling this role will have the following duties and responsibilities:

• 1. Curriculum
  • To lead the delivery of the curriculum within the department.
  • To keep departmental staff informed of new developments in the subject areas.
  • To review regularly the department’s programmes of study and teaching methods and oversee the introduction of appropriate changes.
  • To maintain up‑to‑date Departmental Handbooks, course specifications, schemes of work and other necessary resources used by the department.
  • To co‑ordinate arrangements for appropriate assessment of pupils, including controlled assessments and school examinations.
  • To ensure that appropriate work is provided for classes when normal teaching staff are not available.
  • To prepare a Departmental Report & Departmental Development Plan (including action plans) annually for the Headmaster.
  • To develop appropriate strategies for Literacy, Numeracy and Key Skills.
  • To oversee the review, development and delivery of effective teaching methods/practices on an ongoing basis.
  • To liaise with Dr Spence (Vice Principal) regarding the requirements of the Northern Ireland Curriculum and Entitlement Framework.
• 2. Pupils
  • To place a strong emphasis on pupil achievement.
  • To maintain high expectations and to ensure that these are clearly communicated and understood.
  • To maintain a genuine focus on the individual, promoting a caring ethos within the department.
  • To monitor pupil progress using a range of data on an ongoing basis, identifying underachievement and ensuring that appropriate strategies are employed to bring about improvement where necessary.
  • To ensure that pupils are as far as possible placed in appropriate courses and groups.
  • To deal in the first instance with disciplinary matters which arise within the department.
  • To liaise with form teachers, careers staff etc to provide appropriate advice and guidance for pupils.
  • To encourage pupils to become involved in extra‑curricular activities related to the work of the department.
  • To show concern for pupils and the relationships which exist between them.
  • To encourage pupils to take an interest in and responsibility for their subject learning, departmental facilities and overall school environment.
  • To be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the performance of pupils within their subject area(s).
  • To liaise with Departmental staff to ensure that all pupils have equal opportunities in relation to their educational experiences.
  • To ensure that the Departmental homework policy is reviewed periodically and adhered to.
  • To ensure that an effective system of rewards and referrals operates.
  • To work with Departmental staff to implement an effective system of…