French Language Assistant

Location: Cambridge

Salary: £29,810 per annum

Vacancy Type: Permanent, Term Time

Starting Date: September 2026

The Perse School wishes to appoint an enthusiastic, well-organised and engaging French speaker to assist with inspiring pupils to develop their French language skills to start in September 2026. The successful candidate will work to develop students’ spoken French skills and appreciation of Francophone cultures, as well as playing a key role in the preparation for GCSE, A Level and DELF speaking exams. We are looking for a native speaker or a graduate in French with near-native language skills.

The Perse Modern Foreign Languages department comprises a wonderful team of teachers across four main curriculum languages (French, Spanish, German, Mandarin), and two extracurricular languages (Italian and Japanese). Our team strives to ensure our students reach their potential and develop the skills and cultural understanding needed to excel nationally or internationally in their chosen field as considerate, outward-looking young people.

Being part of the MFL team is to be part of a wider vision to develop an intrinsic interest in language and culture, allowing a focus on the real purpose, benefit and enjoyment of language learning. All members of the MFL team have opportunities to collaborate and share good practice between languages, all the while contributing to the well-respected MFL profile within the school.

The Perse School Cambridge is one of the country’s leading independent co-educational day schools for children aged 3-18.

Our aim is to be a leading employer of choice. This means we strive to be a school where staff say they are proud and excited to work, and feel valued, respected and motivated.

We are committed to providing a very competitive salary and benefits scheme at the same time as offering a wide range of opportunities for personal and professional development. We want our staff to feel engaged and purposeful so that they, in turn, help pupils to be happy and successful.

Key Responsibilities

The French Language Assistant is ultimately accountable to the Head, but day to day accountability will be to the Director of Modern Foreign Languages and to the Head of French for the programme of study.

• Preparing and delivering activities to small groups of Year 9, Year 10 and
• Year 11 pupils to help get them ready for the role play, photo card and
• conversation sections of the AQA GCSE speaking exam;
• Preparing resources for and teaching speaking lessons to Lower Sixth and
• Upper Sixth pupils to get them ready for the card section of the AQA A level
• speaking exam;
• Assisting Upper Sixth pupils with selecting, researching and preparing
• appropriate topics for their Independent Research projects;
• Working with pairs or small groups of DELF A2, B1 and B2 pupils to prepare
• them for their speaking exams;
• Conducting DELF speaking exams, having trained to be an examiner;
• Providing conversation practice with lower school students in small groups,
• where timetabling permits;
• Co-teaching and, on occasion, leading lessons across the age range;
• Helping all pupils to develop their speaking skills to ensure impressive levels
• of vocabulary, accurate grammar and correct pronunciation, leading to high
• levels of fluency, spontaneity and confidence;

Qualifications

• Degree level (or equivalent) education.
• Native or near-native French speaker (C1 level minimum).
• High level of written and spoken English

Please note: This is a brief list of the job responsibilities and requirements, for further information please follow the link for the additional information.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for The Perse School, please click apply to be redirected to their website to complete your application.

Closing date: Wednesday 24 June at midday but applications will be considered as they are received; The Perse School reserves the right to make an appointment before the closing date.

Interviews will be held on Monday 29 June.

The School actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

Safer Recruitment

The Perse School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including: references from previous employers, a Disclosure and Barring Service check at the enhanced level, as well as eligibility to work in the UK (in compliance with UK immigration regulations).All work carried out at the School on a regular basis amounts to regulated activity. This role is also exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.