Teacher of Mandarin (Maternity Cover)

A rare opportunity has arisen to teach Mandarin Chinese at Finham Park School as the current teacher starts her maternity leave. We are looking for a suitably qualified and experienced individual to take on this important role, sustaining and building on our longstanding and highly successful Mandarin Chinese programme.

Finham Park School is one of a limited number of schools across the country offering the Mandarin Excellence Programme. It is also a designated Confucious classroom, offering Mandarin courses from students aged 11-18. The school also leads the MEP across the Finham Park MAT.

The successful candidate will help maintain our strong Mandarin provision and will play a key role in embedding the GCSE course. Opportunities also exist to support with the leadership of the programme across the MAT and to join the annual China Trip. The candidate will be part of our excellent Modern Foreign Languages department, supported by a team of highly experienced and skilled language teachers. The school holds the International School Award and is the only school in the city to offer four different A level language courses.

If you are passionate about making a profound difference, enjoy being part of a dynamic and forward-thinking team, and want to play a key role in taking our already successful school forwards, we would be delighted to hear from you. While this is a temporary position, the experience gained will be invaluable in securing future opportunities within the school, Trust or beyond.

Our Mission

To provide a "World Class Education", constantly striving to make the learning experience at Finham Park School the very best it can be. This school is a beacon of excellence for our community where everyone feels safe, valued, included and proud.

About the school

Finham Park is a popular and successful 11 -18 comprehensive school situated in the south-west of Coventry. It has an excellent reputation within the local community as well as nationally and internationally. The school performs consistently well across all measures with attendance and exam results exceeding both regional and national averages.

Strong character is central to our approach, and our five Finham values of kindness, integrity, humility, courageousness and perseverance are at the heart of all we do. We nurture a culture that emphasises excellence and high expectations, while also ensuring that relationships throughout the school are warm, inclusive and respectful.

School is about children "having the time of their lives" - filling their days with so many happy memories that when they look back, they also inspire future generations to enjoy learning. For this reason, we have a challenging programme of extra-curricular activities in a huge range of disciplines - from sport to performing arts; culture days to charity fund-raising events and a student leadership team that is given genuine agency to effect change.

The school is well resourced. New technologies are widely available and are helping to transform teaching and learning across a diverse range of subjects. In addition, ongoing investment ensures our facilities remain extensive and well maintained.

Staff morale is high. The school leadership has a genuine commitment to staff wellbeing, and many staff members have completed their whole careers within the organisation. As a community, we seek to ‘positively notice’ others, perhaps best seen in our weekly Feel Good Friday celebrations. Staff are empowered to develop and experiment professionally in an environment which prioritises psychological safety and mutual appreciation.

A particular strength of the school is the comprehensive CPD programme. Finham Park believes in utilising its existing expertise from colleagues, and thus all staff are encouraged to offer CPD to the rest of the school. Therefore, weekly sessions of CPD are offered and staff sign up for their areas of interest. We have a broad induction programme for all new staff and trainees. Finham Park has also been instrumental in creating Teaching and Learning Communities as part of our CPD programme. This follows the ideas and research of Dylan William. This has sustained a culture of curiosity and development in the classroom of which, we at Finham, are immensely proud.

Why teach at Finham Park School - note from the Headteacher

We work in schools because we want to make a difference. To use the gifts and experiences we have to transform lives. This is something that Finham Park School has been doing for over fifty years with consistent success. Our alumni can be found leading organisations and communities across the globe.

Our aspiration is to provide a world class education where students have the time of their lives. This means we offer not just a broad, exciting and engaging curriculum, but also a full range of trips, extracurricular activities and in-school experiences. We aim to rival local private schools with our student offer and are unashamedly ambitious for every young person that walks through our door. We are rooted in our Finham values of kindness, integrity, humility, courageousness and perseverance.

We are privileged to have a really experienced, loyal and skilled staff body. Our staff turnover is low, and morale is high. This is because we serve together, in community, supporting each other to be the best versions of ourselves.

Do come and see us in action. You won’t regret it.

Mr D Bedford, Headteacher

To request any of the documents in an accessible format l please contact [email protected] or call 02477 180000 and select option 2 for HR.

For further information on this role and other opportunities within the MAT, please visit https://finhamparkmultiacademytrust.co.uk/careers/

Finham Park MAT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safer recruitment practices and appointments will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Finham Park Multi Academy Trust requires all applicants to be eligible to work in the UK with no restrictions as we are unable to offer sponsorship/work visas. You will be required to provide proof of Right to Work at interview stage and if you are offered a job position with us.

Online Checks

In line with KCSIE (Keeping children Safe in Education) 2025 we will complete online searches as part of our due diligence on all shortlisted candidates. If anything is identified as part of these checks they will be discussed with you at interview. If any safeguarding concerns are identified we reserve the right to withdraw your application.