Hampton is one of the country’s leading, most successful and best-resourced independent schools and has been helping boys to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations for over 460 years.

We are a lively, friendly and caring School community, in which innovative teaching is underpinned by strong shared values and complemented by outstanding pastoral care. We aspire to enable our boys not only to make sense of the world but also to want to go out and improve it. Hamptonians are expected to aspire to personal best while supporting those around them with kindness and respect.

The School’s examination results and university entrance record consistently rank among the best achieved anywhere. Nearly all Hampton leavers go on to undergraduate courses at Russell Group or equivalent universities. Around 20 Hamptonians are offered places at Oxford and Cambridge annually and a good number move on to global top-10 universities; we also support pupils who wish to study at US and Canadian universities, some of whom achieve academic and/or sporting scholarships.

Our alumni network is extremely strong and former pupils remain very interested in their School, in no small part due to the exceptionally warm and mutually respectful relationships enjoyed between Hampton staff and their pupils.

Situated on a green field site in a leafy suburb of South West London, we are fortunate to have over 27 acres of playing fields within our spacious grounds and a generous investment programme ensures that pupils and staff benefit from first-class facilities across all areas of School life. These include a state-of-the-art 3G sports ground, a large Sports Hall and The Hammond Theatre, along with an excellent library and specialist facilities for Art, Music, Science, Technology, IT and Languages and our modern Sixth Form Study and Careers Centre. The Millennium Boat House, shared with our neighbouring girls’ school, Lady Eleanor Holles, enjoys a prime location on the nearby River Thames and provides the focal point for our renowned Boat Club.

The School was judged to be excellent (the highest possible recognition) across all categories by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in May 2023. Inspectors found that Hamptonians’ achievements are exceptional across academic and co-curricular areas of School life and concluded that ‘outstanding analytical and thinking skills’ lead to academic achievements ‘far and above national and worldwide averages’. The ISI team also highlighted Hamptonians’ excellent personal development and concluded that ‘Pupils are open-minded and tolerant and have a clear sense of justice, successfully fulfilling the School’s aims for them to make sense of the world, to want to make a difference for good, and to aspire to personal best while supporting those around them with kindness and respect’. A copy of the full ISI report can found on the School website and a summary booklet of the inspection team’s key findings is linked here.

Please click here to view the Job Description.

Role Summary

Hampton is one of the country’s foremost academically selective independent schools and this is an excellent opportunity to join a vibrant and successful department in a happy, high-achieving setting.

The Role

German is taught both as a core subject and as an option from First to Fifth Year (Years 7 – 11) and we offer the Goethe-Zertifikat in the Lower Sixth or the A-level course. This role is from September 2024 to July 2025.

Pupils’ enthusiasm for the study of German is encouraged by imaginative, varied and challenging courses at all levels of the School, up to and including Oxbridge preparation.

Since September 2013, all pupils studying German work towards the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) IGCSE. Sixth Formers work towards the AQA AS and A2 examinations and have been following the new AQA AS/A2 syllabuses from September 2016.

Our current German textbooks are Stimmt! 1 (First to Third Years), the IGCSE German textbook (Fourth and Fifth Years) and the AQA textbook to A/AS level). These are extensively supplemented with our own material.

As a Language Assistant you will work with individuals and small groups for German conversation and the preparation of oral topics. In addition, you shall help run language clubs, prepare pupils for language competitions and assist with speaking assessment.

The Department

In the First Year, boys may choose French, German or Spanish as their main language, which they study for five years, at least to IGCSE level. In the Third Year, all boys opt for a second – and in some cases, third – language. French, German and Spanish is available to those who have studied other languages as a main language. Russian and Mandarin Chinese are also offered as an option at this stage and may be continued to IGCSE; Russian and Mandarin may also be continued to A level. Many boys choose to keep up their second and/or third language as an IGCSE option subject for the Fourth and Fifth Years and they achieve very good results.

Our results at (I)GCSE are very good, with almost 100% of candidates achieving 8 or 9 grades. A Level results are also very good with around 70% A* or A. Many of our A-Level students have gone on to study Modern Languages at universities, often in combination with other academic subjects.

Our teaching philosophy centres on the development of good oral skills, and so classes are generally in the target language where appropriate, with plenty of emphasis, particularly in junior classes, on role play and debating skills. At the same time there is also strong emphasis on grammatical accuracy from the outset.

The Modern Languages Department has 20 full-time and 6 part-time teaching staff, 6 Language Assistants and a Language Resources Co-ordinator. Those teachers within the Department who are Form Tutors have their own form room which is a language teaching room.

There are two Modern Language Offices and other members of the Department have their own personal workspace in the study area adjacent to the Common Room.

The Department has a large number of dedicated classrooms, all of which contain data projectors and equipment to allow audio-visual and listening materials to be played effectively from the school laptop. Some of the rooms are in the newest part of the School and feature interactive whiteboards or more recent interactive panels. All staff are provided with a laptop and the School’s wireless network enables internet access from any classroom. Teachers may also book any of the School’s ICT rooms for their classes.

The Language Resource Centre is an outstanding facility and contains most of the Modern Languages resources, including past examination papers, topic files, newspapers, magazines, DVDs and CDs, props and games. It also houses 100 MP3 recorders and laminating facilities. Most of our Modern Languages resources are now available online via Sharepoint, which are constantly updated. The site contains all textbook listening files, past examination papers and practice papers, articles relating to A Level topics and it provides links to useful websites as well as immediate access to films via ClickView.

All boys bring their own iPad or laptop to School and are able to carry out IT-based activities in any classroom. These are used to practise reading and listening as well as other web-based activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist teachers with their day-to-day classroom work and with departmental administrative tasks
• Work with individuals and small groups for French conversation and the preparation of oral topics
• Assist with language clubs (lunchtime)
• Support pupils to prepare for language competitions
• Assist with speaking assessments
• Support and assist with departmental events or activities, as required
• Accompany School trips, as required
• Assist with School duty rotas and pupil supervision, as required
• Assist the Head of Department and with any other tasks, as required.
  

Person Specification

The successful candidate is likely to be able to demonstrate the following skills, qualifications and experience:

Essential Criteria:

• A commitment to the Safeguarding and wellbeing of pupils
• Either a recent graduate or student from a good university or a suitably qualified native speaker
• The ability to demonstrate or learn characteristics of outstanding teaching practice
• The ability to work as part of a team
• A professional approach which inspires confidence in pupils and parents
• Excellent communication and ICT skills
• Calmness and efficiency, with the ability to work under pressure at times
• Commitment to continuing professional development through attendance at INSET
• Commitment to the all-round ethos of the School, including its co-curricular activities and pastoral approach
• A cheerful and well-presented person, capable of inspiring confidence in pupils and parents
• A commitment to promoting the safeguarding and wellbeing of children

Desirable Criteria

• The ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with all members of the school community and outside agencies
• An ability to offer skills in some part of the extra-curricular programme of the school
• Enjoy rising to the challenge inherent in a school environment
• Willing to participate in our extensive programme of trips and exchanges during the School holidays
• Fully aware of Health & Safety issues
• Aware of the nature of the School and prepared to commit to its all-round ethos, extra-curricular activities and pastoral approach
• Prepared to work hard with energy and enthusiasm, avoiding the “9 to 4” approach

Other

• To act as Fire Marshal and First Aider as required. Training will be provided
• Any other reasonable tasks required by the Headmaster and/or Bursar in association with the above role.

Any other reasonable tasks required by the Bursar and/or The Headmaster in association with the above role

Please note that there may be some changes and additions to the above, which will be discussed before implementation and changes may occur as the post develops. This document is designed to provide applicants with a “flavour” of the position and responsibilities

Training

Where necessary, to attend INSET training or undergo other on the job training under the general direction of the Head of Department or training outside the school to increase competence, proficiency and safety awareness

Salary and Benefits

The remuneration package will be in line with the Hampton School salary scale and will be commensurate with experience and pro-rated to reflect term time, fixed term hours. Salaries are paid by bank transfer on the 25th of the month, or next working day thereafter.

Please note candidates must have the right to work in the UK as Sponsorship is not available

Equal Opportunities

It is the policy of Hampton School to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified individuals and to prohibit discrimination in employment on any basis protected by applicable law, including but not limited to race, colour, religious creed, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, age, medical condition or disability. Hampton School promotes equal employment opportunities in all aspects of employment through positive employment policies and practices.

If any special requirements are required to attend an interview, please inform the School.

Offers of employment will be made on merit and suitability of qualifications and experience, in pursuit of our policy of equal opportunities.

Safeguarding

The post holder's responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom s/he is responsible, or with whom s/he comes into contact will be to adhere to and ensure compliance with the School's Safeguarding Policy and Procedures at all times. If in the course of carrying out the duties of the post the post holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the School s/he must report any concerns to the School's Safeguarding Designated Persons or to The Headmaster.

We encourage applications as soon as possible as the School reserves the right to commence or complete the interview process at any time prior to the closing date. Further details of the School are available on the website.

Please note all appointments are subject to the Hampton School Trust Recruitment, Selection and Disclosure Policy and Procedure.

The School is legally required to carry out a number of pre-appointment checks which are detailed in the School's Recruitment, Selection and Disclosure Policy and Procedure. The information you are being asked to provide in this form is required so that the School can comply with those legal obligations should your application be successful. Please note that in order to be considered for a position at the School, you must complete this application form. A curriculum vitae will not be accepted in place of a completed application form.

Hampton School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, contractors and volunteers to share this commitment.