Vacancies
Head of Modern Foreign Languages
Salary grade: MPS/UPS; inner London allowance; TLR 1.1, fixed term for one year to cover maternity leave
Closing date for applications: Monday 31st March – 12.00pm
Start date: Ideally 2nd June 2025; otherwise, September 2025
Contract type: Fixed term for one year, to cover maternity leave
Who are we?
‘The school focuses on the holistic child’ (OFSTED, September 2022)
‘Pupils respond extremely well to the challenge of becoming independent learners’ (OFSTED, September 2022)
Highbury Fields School is a community in which everyone enjoys academic and social success. The school actively celebrates and promotes equality, diversity and inclusion and aims to make everyone in our community feel welcome and wanted in school.
An 11 to 18 girls’ school, we are proud to serve a culturally rich, but often underprivileged, community and are fiercely determined that every child in our care will develop into a confident young adult, who is academically and socially accomplished.
The school’s consecutive ‘outstanding’ OFSTED reports of 2016 and 2022 and our consistently high progress 8 scores (0.6 in 2022, 0.82 in 2023 and 0.43 in 2024) have established our students’ reputation for academic excellence and we are highly regarded in the local community for our calm, focused learning environment.
However, we are neither complacent nor satisfied. The school strives for excellence in all aspects of its work and over the last two years we have completed revised our studied, pastoral and enrichment curricular to ensure we are meeting the needs of all our students, with the ambition of further improving the already exceptional progress that our students make. Our intention is to take each student on an educational journey of memorable and stimulating learning experiences, that enables them to be academically and socially successful, both in school and beyond.
What is the role?
‘Leaders and staff have extremely high expectations for all aspects of school life’ (OFSTED, September 2022)
It is in this context that the school is seeking a highly skilled Head of Modern Foreign Languages to lead and grow French and Spanish during the maternity leave of our excellent Head of Languages. The appointed candidate would be expected to have experience of teaching both languages at least to GCSE level.
Thanks to the exceptional commitment to learning of our students and dedication of their teachers, the study of French and Spanish is currently thriving at Highbury Fields School.
The school places great emphasis on the importance of learning a language. All students have the opportunity to learn both French and Spanish in Year 7, with students in Year 8 and 9 continuing in either a “dual linguist” pathway or specialising in Spanish.
Over 50% of students currently choose to continue their study of French and/or Spanish at GCSE, with this number set to increase to over 65% next academic year. The school also has the ambition to introduce A-level Spanish as part of our planned sixth form growth.
Out students’ results are simply exceptional. In 2024 all students attained at least a grade 4, with 57% of students attaining a grade 7 or above. Progress is in the top percent of all schools in the country.
The appointed person would be expected to maintain and build on these incredible outcomes. The post would be very well suited to a current post holder in a department, who is looking to gain experience of leading and developing a team, before becoming a permanent Head of Languages.
If you are a current languages specialist, looking to develop your career in a highly supportive and innovative environment, and you truly believe, as we do, that every child can achieve excellence, then we look forward to receiving your application.
What we can offer the candidate
‘Low-level disruption in class is very rare. Pupils come to lessons ready and eager to learn’ (OFSTED, September 2022)
Working at Highbury Fields School offers colleagues the following benefits:
- An exceptional learning environment
- A highly regarded research based internal learning and teaching development programme
- Keeping well time every half term
- 20% PPA time
- A generous pension scheme
- Reduced London wide gym membership
- Cycle to work scheme
- Interest free travel season ticket loans
- Employee assistance programme
- Computer purchase scheme
What are the safeguarding requirements of the role?
‘Pupils are proud of their school. They enjoy school and feel safe’ (OFSTED, September 2022)
Highbury Fields School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects that all staff will share and demonstrate this commitment.
The position is subject to a DBS enhanced disclosure check.
Applicants must complete the school application form and in line with ‘keeping children safe in education’ and safer recruitment practices, the school will conduct an online search for all shortlisted candidates. The online search is part of the school’s safeguarding procedures to determine from publicly available information whether they are suitable to work with children and young people. Shortlisted candidates will also be asked at interview about their online presence.
Where should I look for further information?
‘Staff are proud to work at the school. Leaders engage with staff’ (OFSTED, September 2022).
For further information about the school, please refer to the school’s curriculum booklet and latest OFSTED report.
To arrange a conversation about the role, or a tour of the school, please email the Headteacher’s PA, Leigh O’Hara, HR@highburyfields.islington.sch.uk
Vacancy Closing Date: 31/03/2025