Academic Director
Equal Opportunities
Concorde International is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, marital status, disability, age, part-time or fixed term contract status, sexual orientation or religion in the allocation of duties between employees employed at any level with comparable job descriptions.
Due to the physical requirements and nature of this position and venue limitations all applicants must be able to climb stairs, walk long distances and use a computer without assistance.
If you are applying from outside Europe, please note that Concorde International is unable to assist in any way with work permits or visas.
Minimum Essential Requirements:
- CELTA or Trinity TESOL and a DELTA or Dip TESOL or equivalent
- Minimum of 2 years teaching experience
- Management experience in an EFL setting
- Effective management skills
- Able to work with computers
- Must be organised and efficient
- Effective communicator
- Ability to work in a team
- Flexible attitude
- Native or minimum near-native competency in English
- Must be eligible to live and work in the UK.
[ Back ]
Desirable Requirements:
- First degree
- Previous summer school experience, ideally in management
- Previous teaching experience with teenagers and young learners
- Interested and able to organise activities such as Drama, Arts & Crafts, Talent Shows and sports activities.
- Able to speak a second language
- Current first aid or RLSS lifesaving certificate
- Recent CRB check
[ Back ]
Job Description
Managerial & Administrative Duties
- You will report in the first instance to the Director of Vacation Courses and secondly to the Assistant Director of Vacation Courses. The Academic Director is directly responsible for all academic issues within the centre. It is vital that all managers in the centre work together and cooperate in order to ensure the smooth running of the summer school.
- You will need to read and familiarise yourself with the Academic Director’s Handbook before the start of the summer programme and adhere to Concorde International operational procedures.
- You will need to read, understand and adhere to Concorde International’s Under 18’s policy and Child Protection policy. You must report any incidents, however small to the Director of Vacation Courses as soon as possible. You should also inform all staff of their responsibilities while working with children.
- You will be required to teach in the event of staff sickness or absence if appropriate cover is unavailable. You will not normally be required to take part in the activities. The Centre Director will assist you in the preparation for performances and certificate presentation ceremony.
- You will attend an induction with the Director and Assistant Director of Vacation Courses at Head Office in Canterbury before the centre opens and you will need to be prepared to induct your team of Teachers once they arrive at the centre.
- You are required to hold and keep minutes of at least three staff meetings with the Centre Director and Activity Manager each week to discuss the following administrative matters:
- Rotas for duties and activities
- Staff supervision
- Student performance and welfare
- Discipline
- Student arrivals and departures
- Number of Teachers and Activity Leaders required
- Number of classrooms required (for the following week)
- Any other matter which supports the smooth running of the centre and the academic programme
- You are to hold daily meetings with Teachers preferably before lessons each morning. You should discuss daily academic issues including classroom changes, student changes, reports, certificates and so on. Teachers can also use this time to liaise with their pair Teacher.
- You are to meet with newly arrived group leaders to go through the academic programme and lesson structure. Also, you are required to explain Concorde International’s expectations of student effort and behaviour and group leader duties in helping to promote learning and maintain discipline both during the day (and also at night in residential centres). On arrival days you will need to meet with the Group Leaders (after Centre Director) to go through the academic section of the Group Leaders Handbook with them and answer any questions as necessary.
- You are to help monitor student numbers on a weekly basis and correlate those against staff requirements, staff contracts and the possibility of laying off Teachers when numbers fall. You are to warn Teachers where possible of any possibility of their contract being terminated at least a week beforehand. Such a decision should be taken in consultation with the Director of Vacation Courses.
- You are required to complete a staff appraisal form for all Teachers. You will also be required to give your appraisal of the Activity Leaders performance when working in the office. You will need to work closely with the Centre Director and Activity Manager to complete this form. This form must be faxed / sent to Head Office as soon as the member of staff has finished their contract. For those whose contract finishes at the end of the summer, this form must be completed one week prior to the centre closing.
- You will use, maintain and update the Concorde International Computerised Placement System which allocates students to classes, creates daily registers and records of work, creates class lists and produces student certificates and reports which are distributed at the end of each course.
- You a re to organise the administration of the placement test and allocate students to classes as appropriate, remembering that the maximum number in each class is 15. You are expected to place students into classes according to their age, level and make sure that there are at least two nationalities per class. Our Placement System will assist you in doing this.
- You will administer weekly student evaluation forms and collate statistics using the format provided by Head Office. An Activity Leader can be used to assist you. You should read each form carefully to identify any areas of concern and take action accordingly. Any areas of concern and action taken must be recorded.
- You are expected to ensure Teachers complete all necessary paperwork including registers, record of work, scheme of work and lesson plans each day and check for organisation, content and accuracy.
- You are expected to make sure that a Fire Register is placed on the corresponding classroom door to be taken when there is a fire drill. The Placement System will automatically produce this for you.
- You are to ensure that Teachers fulfil their contractual teaching duties and that they are prepared for each of their assigned classes. You should make sure all Teachers are in class 5 minutes before the lesson begins and are generally punctual.
- You need to encourage all Teachers to prepare for lessons in advance and not to leave photocopying to the last minute. No photocopying will be allowed after 8.45 each morning (unless in exceptional circumstances). You should enforce this rule at all times to ensure high standards of professionalism.
- You are to organise class and level changes if required and make the necessary changes to attendance registers. Make sure that changes are absolutely necessary before you agree to them.
- You are to familiarise yourself with the classrooms and the furniture and facilities available to Teachers (whiteboards or blackboards, power points, lighting and student capacity). You are to ensure that the classrooms are assigned to Teachers and that they keep them tidy and in good order. Also that the lights are switched off and the windows are closed at the end of the class day.
- You are responsible for all academic resources (e.g. textbooks, cassettes, CDs, CD players, dictionaries etc.). You must ensure the resources are returned in the same manner they were delivered (clearly labelled boxes) to the centre and checked against the inventory provided from Head Office. The Centre Director will be responsible for all non - academic materials.
- All computer data should be well organised and stored safely for downloading at Head Office at the end of the summer course. The Academic Director’s Handbook provides more information and guidance about this.
- You are required to complete a staff appraisal form for all Teachers. You will also be required to give your appraisal of the Activity Leaders performance when in the office. You will need to work closely with the Centre Director and Activity Manager to complete this form. This form must be faxed / sent to Head Office as soon as the member of staff has finished their contract. For those whose contract finishes at the end of the summer, this form must be completed one week prior to the centre closing.
- You must distribute feedback forms to all staff towards the end of their contracts and send all completed forms to the Director of Vacation Courses.
- At the end of the season you will submit a report covering the success or failure of any part of the academic programme and suggesting alternatives where possible.
[ Back ]
Teacher Support
- You are to provide support to all Teachers on a daily basis, especially those who are newly qualified.
- You are to pair up Teachers based on their experience and personality and vary the levels they teach whenever possible.
- You are to hold and / or arrange Teacher development workshops on a weekly basis. You should ensure that topics are relevant, practical and useful for Teachers and that they are carried out in a professional manner. You should encourage Teachers to prepare mini workshops to share their ideas and experience. The External Assessor and Director and Assistant Director of Vacation Courses may sit in on these without prior notice.
- You should organise peer observations whenever possible and hold a feedback session afterwards with both Teachers.
- You are expected to observe each Teacher at least once during their contract and hold a feedback session afterwards with the Teacher. You must also complete an observation report each time he or she is observed and fax or send the report to Head Office as soon as possible. A copy must be given to the Teacher as well.
- You should sit on classes for a short while without prior warning for general supervision of standards. Ensure the teachers are aware of this procedure. The External Assessor and Director and Assistant Director of Vacation Courses can also sit in on any class unexpectedly.
- You are to ensure that Teachers carry out their pre and post excursion lessons and provide students with an activity sheet to be completed during the excursion.
- You are to foster an atmosphere which is supportive and encouraging for Teachers and students alike so should they require help or advice they will be unafraid to seek it.
- At the end of the season you will submit a report covering the success or failure of any particular activity and suggesting alternatives where possible.
[ Back ]
General
- You will need to arrive at your centre punctually, at times agreed with the Activity Manager and Centre Director as applicable. You will also need to dress suitably for your status, since Concorde International aims to project a professional image. In addition, you will behave appropriately at all times when on site, setting an example of sobriety and treating all staff and students fairly, with due attention to propriety.
- You are required to be aware of any local, cultural, world and political events which may have an impact on the running of the centre and react according to the information that you have.
- Summer centres are very busy places and there may be additional duties to perform in addition to those detailed above. Flexibility and common sense are fundamental attributes for this position. As this is a managerial position, you will be required to sign a waiver form which confirms that you are willing to work more than 48 hours per week if required to do so.
Remuneration for this position is £500 per week + holiday pay. Returning staff may receive an additional payment as agreed by the Director of Vacation Courses. Payment will be made weekly into your bank account a week in arrears or through our Pre-Paid card system if you do not have a UK bank account. Accommodation and food are provided in residential centres only unless otherwise approved by the Director of Vacation Courses.
Please familiarise yourself with the following Job Descriptions:
[ Back ]
