French Language Assistant

Job Introduction

Required: September 2026

Location: Dean's Yard - Great School

Contract: part-time (term-time only), permanent

Hours of work: 0.4 FTE of the timetable, details of which will be discussed at interview

Salary: The salary for this role is £17,072.09 per annum based on 0.4 FTE of the timetable. The role is term-time only.

For this role, there is no fixed closing date. Applications will be considered on receipt, and interviews may occur at any stage.

The Modern Languages Department at Westminster strives to be the very best in England. We pride ourselves not just in our high levels of participation and excellent outcomes, but in our ethos and approach: this a Department in which pupils feel supported, valued and challenged. Through our teaching, pupils learn to communicate in a new language, but they also value the opportunities to learn about cultures and identities beyond our shores, and learn to see the world through new eyes.

All pupils study French to GCSE level, and have a good linguistic grounding thanks to this. They also learn Latin and Greek at least until the end of Year 9. The majority of pupils pick a second modern language from Year 10 - either German, Mandarin, Russian or Spanish. In these languages, we offer an accelerated 2-year (I)GCSE course. Languages remain popular in Key Stage 5: in a typical year, around 60 pupils take at least one language as an A-level subject. We have an excellent track record of preparing significant numbers of pupils for undergraduate study in Modern Languages at top universities in the UK and abroad.

Trips and visits abroad are an important part of our job, and typically we run expeditions to France, Germany, Spain, Austria and Russia/the Baltic. The Department is home to a number of language-related pupil-led societies, covering French, German, Spanish, Slavic Languages, multilingual debating and linguistics. We encourage our pupils to participate in a full range of competitions, from the UK Linguistics Olympiad to various essay, public speaking and creative translation competitions which take place throughout the year.

About the role

The successful candidate will be a passionate linguist and ambassador for the French language. Students hugely appreciate the time they spend with our Language Assistants, and they recognise the unique contribution that these colleagues make. We expect all Language Assistants to be fluent and highly literate speakers of their language. The French Assistant will teach KS4 pupils in small groups, and KS5 pupils 1:1, in pairs or in small groups.

The successful candidate will focus on students' oral proficiency and work nearly exclusively in the target language. They will be patient and encouraging of our students, and seek to enamour our learners with French language and francophone culture. In the Lower School (years 9 to 11), the emphasis is on developing confidence and fluency, whereas in the Upper School (years 12 and 13) we aim for our students to become more convincing, independent and creative users of the language. In both cases, the successful candidate will work together with the class teacher to ensure that oral lessons complement the overall curriculum and teaching approach.

The successful candidate will also show a willingness to be involved in the wider life of the department, such as supporting the running of Societies and events. The Language Assistant is not, however, required to write reports or attend Parents Evenings.

Line manager

The French assistant reports to the Head of French and on some occasions the Head of Modern Languages. All teaching staff are responsible to the Deputy Head (Academic) on academic matters, to the Under Master on matters of discipline, pastoral, welfare and safeguarding, and ultimately to the Head Master.

Teaching and Learning

• Help ensure the quality of teaching and learning is consistently excellent across the School, through stimulating and challenging oral lessons in French
• Apply, where appropriate, suitable technological tools and apps to enhance learning and teaching
• Plan, prepare, teach and evaluate oral sessions in line with the Schemes of Work. For French specifically this will include:
  • small-group lessons of 20 minues each during lesson time for Year 11, 12 and 13
  • occasionally, 1-to-1 or 1-to-2 lessons of 20 minutes each during lunchtime, pupils' free periods or before/after school for pupils in Years 12 and 13, in addition to the above
• Provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment in which consideration is given to the individual development of all pupils
• Identify, create and make use of culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate stimulus and revision materials
• Adapt sessions in a manner that challenges and interests the pupils and is appropriate to their needs and proficiency levels
• Apply any recommendations and guidance for pupils with specific learning or welfare needs or disabilities, as directed by the Head of Learning Development, or on the pupil's personalised learning plan
• Give supportive advice and guidance to pupils on how to develop their oral proficiency by identifying areas of pronunciation, grammar, idiom or vocabulary which they can improve
• Encourage students to take responsibility for their progress by maintaining high expectations of punctuality, attendance and learning behaviours
• Preparation of thematic materials for A-level candidates to aid revision
• Support with co-curricular activities and competitions

Pastoral Care and Pupil Management

• Put pupils at the centre of all teaching and learning, taking a pastoral interest in pupils around the School, so that they feel valued and cared for
• Foster pupils' safe esteem in their oral lessons
• Motivate pupils through praise, while being firm but fair in expectations
• Actively maintain the high standards of behaviour and uniform of pupils in the classroom and in all school locations and activities
• Communicate and consult with other departments or members of staff to implement recommendations, policies or guidance

All teaching colleagues are expected to:

• Promote and support the School's Aims and Vision and School Development Plan
• Adhere to and support the School's policies and procedures
• Accept responsibility for the welfare and care of all pupils, at all times
• Attend relevant training and INSET days
• Take an active interest in maintaining subject knowledge

Equal Opportunities
We are an equal opportunities employer. We therefore encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender identity, sex or sexual orientation.

Safeguarding and Child Protection
Westminster School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Working at Westminster

Westminster School is a busy, purposeful and vibrant place to be and an excellent workplace. The community is made up of around 750 pupils, 120 teaching staff and 108 support staff.

Our staff are friendly and welcoming, and all newcomers quickly become part of the rhythm of life here.

There is a real sense of community here as, being a boarding school many members of staff and pupils live on site and the School's premises are very much treated as a home away from home. School life starts before breakfast and continues way beyond the working day; as a result, there is always a lively atmosphere in and around School and always someone to share a tea and biscuit with in the Common Room. Support staff as much as teaching staff are encouraged to embrace the School's day-to-day activities, whether that be attending an evening concert or a morning service in the Abbey.

At Westminster we will always select the best candidate for every position. We do know, however, that we can only truly choose the best person on every occasion if a broad and diverse pool of candidates see the job advertised and are encouraged to apply.

As such, we continue to work on how our job roles are encountered, and particularly welcome applications from groups who have traditionally been underrepresented here.

Westminster School is for everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic. We hope you are encouraged to apply.

The School

Westminster School is an independent day and boarding school for boys aged 13-18 and girls aged 16-18, with a long history, a distinctive ethos, and a unique sense of place in the very heart of London. Pupils achieve exceptional examination results and entrance to some of the top universities in the world. It is a busy, passionate and purposeful place where independent and deep thinking is enjoyed, encouraged and respected by all, and where holistic excellence is nurtured and valued.

While the School is one of the foremost centres of academic excellence in the country, its commitment to academic life does not make it a hothouse for passing examinations. Pupils' success at examinations and entry to leading universities is instead a result of their enjoyment of academic enquiry, debate and search for explanation, well beyond published syllabuses. Pupils are intellectually, socially, ethically and politically engaged and our aim is to ensure that their enthusiasm for learning is developed further, allowing them to take full advantage of the opportunities presented to them in the future. At Westminster, pupils have the freedom to lead on projects outside of the classroom and embrace a whole range of extra-curricular activities and interests. A host of pupil-led societies take place every week at the School, often with expert guest speakers, and pupils can choose to study an additional language, play an instrument or two, volunteer in local primary schools, row along the Thames, take part in plays and musicals, and much more.

The School's ethos resides in the enduring values of the liberal tradition reflected in the 1560 Charter of Westminster's Elizabethan foundation, where it is stated that: 'the youth which is growing to manhood, as tender shoots in the wood of our state, shall be liberally instructed in good books to the greater honour of the state'. Whilst academic and cultural attainments are highly prized at Westminster, the School is fully committed also to each pupil's spiritual, moral, emotional and physical development and wellbeing - with a particular emphasis on drawing out individual talent wherever it lies - and to prepare young people for fulfilled private and public lives.

From September 2028, the School will welcome both girls and boys at 13+ entry, offering a Westminster education to all. By 2026, Westminster Under School will have opened its brand new pre-prep for girls and boys at 4+ and girls will have joined boys in Years 3 and 7, at the 7+ and 11+ entry points. By 2030, all year groups at Westminster School and Westminster Under School, from ages four to 18, will be fully co-educational, reflecting the School's dedication to inclusivity and excellence.
Attached documents:

• French Language Assistant - person specification.pdf