College Alpin Beau Soleil is seeking to recruit a
Head of Learning & English Language Support

Start date: September 2021

Our Philosophy

At Beau Soleil, we believe it’s what you do that counts. This philosophy holds true in all that we do as staff and for our students. We are a community that believes in the power of action, engagement and participation, inside and outside of the classroom.

Our unique holistic education is built around four core values: Respect, Responsibility, Ambition and Determination, which provide a framework to community life for our international student body. Our students come from over fifty different countries, with diverse academic backgrounds and a wide range of future aspirations.

With curricular programmes in both English and French, students graduate with an IB, or Advanced Studies Diploma. Within this framework, small class sizes allow for a flexibility of programme and staff are encouraged and supported to bring new ideas to all that they do.

Our Staff

As a full boarding school, our staff are involved in all aspects of school life, sharing time in the classroom, in the boarding houses, out on the mountain and travelling the world. You may find yourself teaching an IBDP class in the morning, helping to staff one of our amazing expeditions in the afternoon, or accompanying a group to surf in Bali during the holiday period.

Professional development and training opportunities abound, and we believe in growing talent and supporting great teachers in their career paths. As a member of the Nord Anglia Education group of schools there are opportunity for ongoing professional training and exchange amongst the world’s leading premium schools organisation.

Our Community

Our location in the heart of Villars-sur-Ollon, offers an enviable lifestyle with access to skiing in the winter months and a multitude of outdoor and sporting activities throughout the year. Montreux, Lausanne and Geneva are all within easy reach for cultural adventures and inspiration.

The Beau Soleil campus is an inspiring place to work with facilities that are second to none. Our ongoing campus development and maintenence programme ensures that our students and staff thrive in an environment of which they can be rightly proud.

Your Profile

Here at Beau Soleil we have a unique opportunity to focus on the needs of each individual student and make sure that their educational experiences are as enriching and enjoyable as possible. Over 50 different nationalities are represented among our 280 students, who bring an amazingly rich selection of experiences, languages and cultures to our vibrant community here on the mountain.

Learning and Language Support is a key part of academic life at Beau Soleil. Working with individual students, class groups and academic departments, the LLS team are flexible and dynamic in their approach to problem solving. English is an additional language for almost all our students, and our teachers are used to integrating EAL strategies into their lessons. Beyond this, individual and small group lessons offer a more intensive process for those who will benefit from this. In terms of learning support, we offer programmes to support students facing a range of challenges including dyslexia, ADHD and ASD. But the capacity to offer ad hoc support to students who sometimes need a little extra help preparing for exams, planning a piece of coursework or organising notes is equally important. On a day-to-day basis, it is usual to find LLS teachers in a variety of classes across the campus, and their collaborative presence makes a valued contribution to the experience of students and teachers alike.

As Head of Learning and Language Support, you will lead your team in working closely with staff across all academic areas, as well as house staff, tutors and parents. Behind the scenes, you will liaise with external agencies, including local Educational Psychology services. You will also play an important role in the pastoral team which is responsible for ensuring the wellbeing of our students, working particularly closely with out school counsellor in offering integrated support for individual students.

Amongst other things, you’ll be well organised, have a good sense of humour and will want to participate fully in the extra-curricular aspects of school life including the boarding house as well as the classroom. We have a comprehensive learning programme that includes Saturday morning academics and exciting challenges ranging from climbing 4000m peaks to night time ski racing.

How to apply

Applications should be made via Beau Soleil recruitment website at www.beausoleil.ch/en/about-us/employmentopportunities and should contain a CV, letter of application and the details of two professional referees.

The closing date is 30th April 2021. Successful short listed candidates will be contacted straight away with initial discussions conducted remotely by telephone or video call.

College Alpin Beau Soleil is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service is required prior to appointment.