Graduate – French Assistant

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:

Graduate – French Assistant

Department:

French & Boarding

Hours of Work:

Approximately 40 hours per week split equally between French and Boarding. Fixed term-
late August 2026 to early July 2027

Responsible To:

Director of Boarding & Head of
French

Responsible For:

N/A

Summary of Role:
To assist the students with their speaking skills and to assist the department with administrative tasks.

Specific Responsibilities:

•  Prepare and carry out conversation lessons with Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 (small groups/one-to-one)
•  Support Year 7, 8 and 9 classes with their speaking skill
•  Help with bilingual students (conversation, cultural knowledge)
•  Keep display boards up-to-date (pupils’ work, news items and articles of interest)
•  Carry out administration tasks (photocopying, filing, developing resources)
•  Bring up-to-date cultural knowledge of French-speaking countries into lessons
•  Speak French to students, not English
•  Help with extra-curricular activities organised by the department (trips, clubs, Open day)

Organisation:
It takes about 2 weeks to set up the assistant’s timetable in September. So, before you start preparing your
lessons, you will spend time getting to know the French teachers, the students, the resources available, the exam
specifications for GCSE & A Level.

The Head of French will meet with you at the start to go through what you will need to do with the students and
for the French department. The Head of French will meet with you regularly to talk about your classes, the
content of your lessons and to specify what needs doing in the department.

To start with, get to know the pupils with games and general conversation. This will make them relaxed, establish
a nice relationship between you and the students, and give you a chance to see what level they are at in order to
prepare your lessons according to their level & needs.

GENERAL INFORMATION on exam classes:
Year 10: 1st year of GCSE course (girls aged 14-15). No public examination.
Year 11: 2nd year of GCSE course (girls aged 15-16). Public examination
Year 12 called Lower 6th:  AS Level (girls aged 16-17). No public examination.
Year 13 called Upper 6th:  A2 Level (girls aged 17-18). Public examination.

You will concentrate on training the students for the Speaking examination.

GCSE ORAL: Role-play, photo-card & general conversation on the following topics: myself- family-friends,
technology, free-time activities, customs & festivals, home-town-region, social & global issues, travel & tourism,
education & work.

A LEVEL ORAL: Discussion on a stimulus card (famille, cyber-société, bénévolat, diversité, marginalisation,
criminalité, patrimoine français, musique, cinéma, politique, grèves, immigration) + discussion on an Individual
Research Project.

Boarding
Your boarding hours (40hrs over 2 weeks) are spent working across our boarding houses, supporting our
residential team on a rota basis.  Graduates are usually assigned one house but occasionally straddle two if
necessary.

Weekdays
Weekday boarding duties could include, but are not limited to:

•  Wake up duty- this includes waking up boarders and supervising them at breakfast before getting them off

to school

•  Supervising study sessions after school
•  Providing admin support for the house whilst on duty
•  Supper duty – ensuring students attend and then register
•  Evening  duty-  this  includes  supervision  with  study  (homework),  snack  time,  taking  in  electronics  for
overnight storage and bedtime routine in the year areas and in the dormitories, as well as any other duties
(e.g. administration) which the Housemistress may request

•  Escorts - accompanying students to medical or other appointments usually on an ad hoc basis
•  Graduates work 3 evenings per week in Boarding

Weekends
Weekend boarding duties could include, but are not limited to:

•  Assist with Friday Fun (activity such as cupcake decorating, craft, quiz)
•  Supervise study
•  Assist with admin tasks
•  Run an activity with the girls such as baking, badminton, games
•  Ensuring the house is kept tidy
•  Be a presence in the House office
•  Assist with the regular evening routines, including snacks, electronics and bedtime
•  Assist with trips offsite, e.g. ice-skating, shopping, meals out, cinema, museums
•  Graduates work every other weekend in Boarding

Duty at the beginning and end of each term
Graduates must return to school by the evening prior to the Staff Conference Days at the start of term in order to
participate in meetings. Graduates are expected to attend all INSET days with the main staff body during term time
regardless of whether this falls on a day off.

At the end of each term Graduates are expected to remain in school until early evening in order to assist residential
staff to tidy and clear Boarding Houses.

Graduates are expected to support the start of term by being part of the airport ‘meet and greet’ rota as well as
welcoming back boarders (the day before lessons begin).

Time Off
Each Graduate has a full 24hrs off each week from both their Department and Boarding. In addition, they have a
further evening off from boarding during the week and every other weekend off. These are arranged by the Director
of Boarding in conjunction with the Housemistress and Head of Department.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Desirable

Qualifications

•  Honours degree or equivalent experience in
French or an appropriate related discipline
from a recognised university

Personal Behaviours

•  Work experience within a particular French-

related field

•  Boarding experience or previous experience

working with children

•  Create a happy, challenging and effective

•  An understanding of the principles of good

learning environment.

classroom management.

•  Promote independence and employ strategies

to recognise and reward achievement.

•  Ability to challenge and support all pupils to do

their best.

•  Boarding experience – personal or operational

•  Use effective strategies to monitor motivation
and progress / Provide feedback in relation to
progress and achievement

•  Have high expectations for all pupils providing
clear structures for lessons maintaining pace,
motivation and challenge

•  Provide feedback to pupils in relation to

progress and achievement under the guidance
•  Confident in using ICT for a range of purposes
•  Support pupils consistently whilst recognising
and responding to their individual needs.
•  Promote the inclusion and acceptance of all

•

pupils. Encourage pupils to interact with others
and engage in activities led by the teacher.
Liaise with the head of department and the rest
of the teachers, to support achievement and
progress of pupils

•  An energetic person with considerable stamina
who is able to cope with the long hours of work
that this post demands.

•  A  person  who  enjoys  the  company  of  young
people, is relaxed in their company and who is
keen to help them with their academic studies
and guide them in good habits generally.

Knowledge and Skills

•  Communicate effectively (both orally and in

•  Ability to motivate others.

writing).

•  Willingness to share expertise, skills and

knowledge and ability to encourage others to
follow suit

•  Ability to work independently and as part of a

team

•  Acting as a role model and setting high

expectations.

•  Sensitivity to the needs of others
•  Enthusiasm, commitment, and energy.
•  Good organisational and interpersonal skills.
•  Openness and willingness to address and

discuss relevant issues

•  Develop good personal relationships within the

team.

•  Ability to work constructively as part of a team.

Flexibility.

•  Establish constructive relationships with pupils
and interact with them according to individual
needs.

Ethos and Whole School Values

•  Able to operate at the heart of the school

•  Willingness to contribute to whole school

community

•  Committed to the Sacred Heart Values
•  Commitment to Woldingham as a school with
high academic standing providing a holistic
education and outstanding pastoral care

Safeguarding and Pastoral

•  Committed to safeguarding and promoting the

welfare of children and young people.
•  A satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure from the

DBS.

initiatives, and support school improvement
programmes

•  Set challenging and demanding expectations and

promote self-esteem and independence

•  Supervise and provide particular support for
pupils, including those with special needs,
ensuring their safety and access to learning
activities.

•  Assist with the development and implementation
of Individual Education/Behaviour Plans and
Personal Care programmes.

Start Date:  Late August 2026
Working hours: This is a fixed term, term time only position; however, the Graduate is also required to be available
to attend INSET days and for periods prior to and at the end of terms. The hours of work during term time are varied
and include weekends. The Graduate will be entitled to a 24hr period off each week as well as every other weekend.
Salary:  £16,000 pa over 11 months.
Accommodation:  A  single  room  within  a  shared  flat  within  the  School  is  provided  throughout  the  period  of
employment, inclusive of all bills. Because this is a girls’ Senior School and all accommodation is within the girls’
boarding houses, we are required to appoint a female member of staff for this role.
Pension:  Auto enrolled into the School’s pension scheme, which includes life assurance.
Lunch:  Complimentary meals, when on duty, in the Dining Room.
Parking:  There is free parking on site.
Gym and Pool:  There are staff sessions for use of these facilities.
Fees:  Subject  to Governors’ discretion, school fee remission may be  available for dependants of the job holder
attending  the  school.  If  not  already  at  the  school,  any  child  would  have  to  meet  all  of  the  usual  entrance
requirements.
Overnight visitors: In line with the School’s policy for enhanced DBS clearance for spouses, family members (over
the age of 16) or permanent guests/regular overnight visitors must obtain enhanced DBS clearance from the Head
of HR.  Details of the process and cost may be obtained from the Head of HR. A regular guest is defined as 4 nights
in 30 days.
Overnight stays for non-DBS’d visitors are strictly forbidden, during term time, for resident staff who live
within/attached to school buildings which accommodate Boarders. Staff who are resident in other standalone
properties on the grounds must, giving a reasonable period of notice, seek permission from the Bursar and DSL
prior to having any overnight guests.  NB. Any guest of a member of staff who has received an enhanced DBS
clearance from Woldingham School does not need to seek written permission from the DSL or Bursar for
individual visit.
For health and safety reasons, Security should always be made aware when guests are on site.  In the interest of
general security, it is advisable that any legitimate guests with enhanced DBS clearance are not permitted to
wander unescorted around the site.  Permanent residents (spouses etc.) are excluded from this advice. Any non-
DBS’d guests must be escorted at all times.
Provided there are no commercial third-party lettings (where children under 18 are in residence) in the staff
member’s particular boarding house, non-DBS’d visitors are permitted to stay with residential staff who reside in
integrated properties (within boarding houses) during the school holidays.  Permission must still be sought from
the Bursar and DSL, with reasonable notice, and security notified.

Any contravention of this policy is deemed an act of gross misconduct which will be dealt with seriously in line
with the Staff Disciplinary Procedure.
The School reserves the right to refuse entry to the school site for any reasonable reason.