Head of EFL in Oxford

Reports To: VP Academics & VP Operations

Job Purpose

The Head of EFL is responsible for the overall academic leadership, management, and quality assurance of the college’s English language programs. This role ensures the highest standards of teaching and learning, manages the academic team, maintains compliance with Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) standards, and oversees student academic progression.

Key Responsibilities1. Academic Leadership & Quality Assurance

• Lead the design, implementation, and review of innovative, communicative EFL curricula and course materials for a diverse student body.
• Maintain rigorous quality control through regular teacher observations, constructive feedback, and annual performance reviews.
• Ensure compliance for the EFL aspect of the College with ISI and other relevant regulatory criteria.
• Oversee student class allocation and class changes, ensuring that programmes reflect students’ ages, levels and learning goals.
• Administer placement tests, and conduct online/in-person student pre-course interviews
• Respond to academic concerns and complaints, working closely with Operations, Student Services and group leaders.
• Plan staffing and academic resources for seasonal peaks, including the summer programme.

2. Staff Management & Development

• Recruit, on-board, schedule, and line-manage a team of qualified EFL teachers.
• Foster a supportive professional environment and organize regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD) workshops.
• Conduct weekly academic staff meetings to align school goals.

3. Student Welfare & Operations

• Monitor student progress and provide academic counselling or support where required.
• Work closely with the safeguarding team to ensure student welfare.
• Manage the academic budget, including teaching resources, textbooks, and classroom technology.

4. Teaching

• Up to 7.5 hours per week
• Coordinate teaching cover in liaison with senior teachers and provide cover personally when required.

Requirements & QualificationsMinimum Qualifications

• DELTA, DipTESOL or equivalent Level 7 TESOL qualification.
• Bachelor's Degree (minimum)
• Evidence of ongoing professional development
• Successful experience in an academic leadership or management role, with responsibility for leading English language teaching teams, curriculum development and quality assurance.
• A minimum of five years of successful classroom teaching experience within a language teaching context.
• Evidence of successfully managing academic provision in both adult and junior contexts
• Experience of designing high-quality language teacher development courses and CPD activity within a formal development framework.
• Experience of leading blended, online and in class curriculum design and educational product development in English Language Teaching.
• Extensive knowledge of academic operational systems, procedures and protocols.
• Extensive knowledge of the contemporary ELT context.
• Excellent English oral and written communication skills.
• Eligibility to live and work in the UK (we unfortunately cannot support a visa application to work and live in the UK).
• Experience of management in an international English summer school environment
• Experience managing multi-campus or multi-site academic operations
• Experience of trends in AI and language learning
• Experience of educational VLEs and LMSs
• Experience of delivering ESOL provision
• Experience of working with formal UK language examination bodies/boards
• Experience of working with EFL publishers
• Ability to deal with and resolve a high volume of queries efficiently
• Ability to demonstrate safe recruitment practices leading to the hiring of exceptional staff
• Ability to develop learner autonomy with students
• Ability to find and present solutions to problems
• Ability to manage and implement change
• Ability to manage performance and development of staff

About OISC

Oxford International Study Centre (OISC) is a private tutorial college and English language school in the heart of Oxford. Established in 2006, we provide flexible, individually tailored programmes for UK and international students, combining academic ambition with a welcoming and supportive environment.

Our year-round English language provision includes General English, exam preparation, individual tuition and bespoke programmes for adults, young learners and visiting groups. Alongside our language school, we offer GCSE, A-Level and other academic programmes, enabling students to combine English language development with their wider educational goals.

We believe that students make the best progress when they are understood as individuals. Our approach places equal importance on high-quality teaching, student wellbeing and the wider experience of studying and living in Oxford. We take pride in building a community where students feel known, supported and encouraged to achieve their potential.

We hold high expectations for teaching, professional conduct and the care of our students. Safeguarding is central to our work and is a shared responsibility across the college. We expect colleagues to communicate clearly, exercise sound judgement, take ownership of their responsibilities and work closely across departments to provide a consistent and well-organised student experience.

As a small team delivering a varied programme throughout the year, we value flexibility, initiative and a willingness to contribute to college life. Our Head of EFL will play a central role in maintaining these standards, supporting and developing teachers, and ensuring that our English language provision continues to respond to the needs of our students.

Safeguarding

Oxford International Study Centre is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All staff are expected to share this commitment and to uphold the school's safeguarding policies and procedures at all times.

The successful applicant will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check together with all relevant safer recruitment checks in accordance with statutory guidance.

Data Protection & Confidentiality

The post holder will be required to handle sensitive personal and financial information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the school's Data Protection Policy.