“There are teachers that teach and those that teach and inspire. Be remembered for your inspiration: join our team"
With over 40 years of experience teaching English as a foreign language in Spain we have seen a lot of changes. One thing that has not changed, however, is the impact made by an inspirational teacher who can motivate their students. So if you are serious about your teaching and feel you can make a difference, we would love to hear from you.
Working with Albany School of English you will feel fully supported in your role and valued as a true professional. You will be joining a respected organisation at the forefront of Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Please see the links on the side for more information about Albany, working with us and about the wonderful city of Cordoba!
If you think we sound interesting for the next stage of your teaching career, Please fill in the online application form and upload your CV by clicking on the following link Albany Application Form. We aim to give a reply to all applications, however, during busy periods applicants that do not meet the minimum requirements unfortunately may not receive acknowledgement.
Background
Albany School of English is an innovative private language school with ten centres. There are four Albany Schools in Cordoba (Andalusia, Southern Spain), one in Castro (a village outside Cordoba) and five Albany Language Centres based in mainstream schools (four in Cordoba and one in Madrid).
Albany School was founded in 1984 and currently employs around 30 EFL teachers. As a member of both The Association of Language Schools for Andalusia (ACEIA) and The National Federation of Private Language Schools in Spain (FECEI), we are committed to maintaining high standards throughout the organisation.
We offer a range of teaching options:
Albany Language Solutions for Business: In-company courses offering General English and ESP (English for Specific Purposes) to adults in-company with face-to-face and online components.
Albany Language Schools: General & Exam English and French from beginner to advanced levels. Ages range from 3 to adult. Courses are two or three hours-a-week from mid-September until June.
Albany Language Centres: General, Exam English and French and Teacher Training in mainstream schools to school children, adults and teachers. Courses are usually two or three hours-a-week from mid-September until June.
Albany Summer courses: Intensive exam preparation courses for adults and teenagers in July. Children’s summer courses for 3 to 15 year-olds also take place during this month.
Teachers have access to a wealth of resources that you would expect to find in a well-established modern school. Every Albany School is equipped with additional computers so that students can practice regularly with multi-media outside class-time and video cameras are available to use in lessons too.
"Albany takes combining the arts of both teaching and learning seriously. For these rich and creative arts to be successful, it is vital that there is the desire, effort and commitment from both teachers and students."
Albany Teacher´s Testimonials
Having worked at both large and small private English schools around Europe for over 10 years, I feel I have seen quite a variety of management systems. When I joined Albany last year I was a little concerned about its size, and being “just another cog in the machine’s wheels”. I was wrong. Here you are part of a constructive process which is entirely based on feedback. In other words, your opinion counts and is democratically weighed along with that of your colleagues in order to define teaching methods, to share resources, knowledge and experience.
Learning is what I strive for, and I can firmly state that I have been given the chance to learn a lot here, as well as share my tips. The fact that the company has managed to stick to small centres means the familiar and friendly atmosphere of small schools isn’t warped by the amount of colleagues and students which would be around you if Albany was in one big building.
Here we have relaxing music in the corridors, so when I prepare classes I feel at home. Colleagues are extremely professional, rules are clear and the team is solid. The fact that at end of term parties we dance with our lovely cleaning lady just swept me off my feet.
We work very hard, but we work together and weeks simply fly by.
Last, but not least, if you like nature Córdoba is the place to be. The mountains around the city and the river pumping green energy through its heart are a breath of relaxing peace whenever you need to recover from screeching teenagers. There is also a local birdwatching group which is highly welcoming to foreigners
I have worked for various English schools and academies in the past but never have I worked in such a positive place as Albany. Sometimes owners of English Schools and Academies can be quite aloof and distance themselves from you as a teacher, from day one I was welcomed personally by the owners and have received and still do receive continual support, encouragement and general warmth, Albany has a real family feel to it. Professionally, working for Albany has improved my teaching through the various professional development workshops and the conferences they encourage (not insist) you to attend to further your professional development. My DOS has been hugely supportive, approachable and kind from the very beginning always there for help and support, I can’t praise her highly enough. When arriving in a new city the paper work and documentation needed before you start work can be quite daunting but Albany were so supportive during this initial time, accompanying me to banks and helping me to fill out various paperwork.
Albany has a number of schools yet you don’t just feel a connection to the one you work in and your colleagues there, through their ongoing attempts to bring all their employed staff together through meetings and sharing of ideas, social events etc. I have met some great friends in not only my school but the others too. I believe it is no coincidence that Albany do retain a lot of their staff, I have always felt valued as a teacher and feel lucky to work in such a warm, friendly and professional English academy.
Having lived in Cordoba for a few years I had heard many great things about working for Albany and I have not been disappointed. In fact, my experience here has exceeded my expectations. I was very warmly welcomed into the Albany team and supported to find my feet in my new job. The administrative staff, managers and teaching team couldn’t have been more helpful if they’d tried! The school maintains a holistic focus on all of their students, considering not only the academic progress of each student, but also their general well-being and emotional health which helps the students to thrive. This has been very heartening to me and there is an atmosphere of Albany not only being a language school but also a family incorporated of its staff and students and, indeed, the students seem genuinely excited to be here.
Albany is also very committed to the professional development of its academic staff and there has been a good range of workshops and other training opportunities to take part in. I have begun to specialise in the area of children experiencing difficulties with behaviour and I have felt very encouraged by all at Albany to develop further and to conduct workshops and speak at conferences. I feel that I am not only enabled to pursue my professional development; I also have a strong support to help me.
The centres are also very warm environments to work in. All three main centres feel like a home and not just an academy. I think this helps everyone who uses them to feel relaxed and open to learning. Overall, I am delighted to be working here and genuinely look forward to coming into work every day!
Over the last 3 years I have been fortunate enough to work with Albany and form part of their team of teachers and I can honestly say that it has been a wholly positive experience. Albany is not only a school that is passionate about offering an excellent service to its students but it is also a school that understands that the welfare and development of its teachers is at the heart of everything it does. I remember that my first lesson was with a group of very excitable 4-year-olds and it was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of my life but as soon as I left the classroom my colleagues and my DOS were there to offer advice and support; and the support didn’t stop there! Albany has helped me with everything from finding accommodation to processing legal paperwork, from lessons to improve my Spanish to days out to conferences organised by Cambridge. It’s a school with a calm and friendly atmosphere where teachers are encouraged to share ideas and grow. I’m sure that if it weren’t for Albany, my experience here in Spain wouldn’t be the same.
My year at Albany was actually my first year of working at an academy abroad and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience! My DOS has been incredibly supportive, approachable and kind from the very beginning and I was impressed by the amount of resources readily available around the school – this makes lesson planning much easier and less time-consuming. I have a lovely classroom space which is my own and contains pretty much everything I need – anything I don’t have, I’ve always been encouraged to ask for. Friday meetings enable teachers to come together, during which I feel like my voice can be heard and my opinions matter. I think this is a really important factor in creating a pleasant working atmosphere. I find the working hours at my academy great and the workload manageable. Extra workload periods (e.g. termly reports) are discussed weeks before the deadline, enabling me to prepare well. Overall, the school has a lovely, family feel to it and certainly feels like a very teacher-centred, flexible yet professional place to work. My reasons for leaving have nothing to do with Albany or Cordoba – I just need to explore to a new city! Albany, I will miss you!
I had never expected to be so lucky to work in such an aesthetic and cultural city. On top of that, Albany has given me a great experience in terms of teaching in Spain. Everyone in the school is friendly. As much as we all work hard, I rarely feel stressed at work since the atmosphere in the school is rather pleasant and tranquil. I will definitely miss Albany after this summer!
Albany EFL Teacher Job Description
Key responsibilities, tasks and duties
- to teach English to a high standard in line with Albany’s approach to teaching
- to motivate and enable students to enjoy learning English
- to help pupils improve their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills
- to plan and prepare lessons to ensure the course is effectively delivered for the class
- to prepare students for exams as appropriate
- to mark and feedback to students about their homework in a timely manner
- to maintain accurate class records including attendance registers and homework records
- to attend developmental and administration meetings every Friday morning
- to attend weekly one to one meetings as arranged by the Director of Studies
- to complete written students’ evaluations at the end of each term
- to help contribute to the success of Albany’s wider objectives through the promotion and support of other activities and initiatives
- to have read and to adhere to company policies as set out in Albany’s “Handbook for Teachers”
- to respond to emails and requests from colleagues and students in a timely manner and to meet all given deadlines.
Desirable responsibilities, tasks and duties
- to develop and share additional teaching materials to supplement coursebook activities
- to lead staff development/training sessions as part of the weekly team meeting programme
- to attend Albany’s social events at induction, Christmas and the end of the school year
Key Qualifications and Experience
- A proficient speaker of English (C2)
- Education to degree level or equivalent
- A recognised, relevant teaching qualification (e.g. CELTA; CELTYL; Cert. TESOL; PGCE (TESOL+QTS); BEd./PGCE) or equivalent qualification from another country
- Two years relevant teaching experience
- Ability to work with young learners and teenagers.
- A competent computer user (specifically Google Drive)
- A track record of professional development and a continued interest to develop and grow as a teaching professional
- Professional, friendly and approachable manner with the ability to adapt and be flexible.
- Good organizational and planning skills.
Desirable Qualifications and Competencies
- A working knowledge of Spanish
- A recognised, higher level teaching qualification (e.g. Delta)
Key Job Requirements
- A valid International Child Protection Certificate
- EU passport or Spanish Work permit holder
- At least 2 satisfactory references from the most recent teaching positions
Contracts and Benefits
Contracts: We offer both full time and part time contracts. A full-time contract (34 hours) consists of 22-24 contact hours per week. The remaining hours are dedicated to class preparation, students’ evaluation, attending weekly teacher development sessions, one-to-one meetings with DOS and carrying out administrative duties (eg: reports, registers, etc).
Contracts are from mid September until the end of June for Albany Schools and from October to May/June for Albany Language Centres. The contract includes Social Security Benefits: full national health and social security cover.
Salary: A monthly competitive salary (above national pay agreements) for a full time contracts is around 1,400 euros gross, based on qualifications, experience and number of contact hours
Holidays: According to the school year’s calendar, there are usually two weeks holiday at Christmas, one at Easter and up to one week at the end of the contract. All national and local public holidays are honoured
Assistance on arrival: We offer assistance on arrival, help with finding accommodation and legal paperwork.
Albany Centres: Classes start on the 15th of September. Term finishes at the end of June. Classes are from Monday to Friday between 16:00 and 22:00. Friday mornings training and team meetings. Maximum number of students per class 10.
Albany in Schools: Classes start on the 15th of September. Term finishes at the end of May or June. Classes are from Monday to Friday from 13:00 to 20:00 approximately. Friday mornings training and team meetings. Maximum number of students per class 12.
Teacher Training and Professional Development Programme (PDP): Ongoing training and development sessions, paid attendance at external training events and conferences (ACEIA/FECEI). Free optional Spanish classes.
Albany’s Professional Development Programme
Albany provides and supports all staff with the following:
- Pre-course induction sessions (online and face to face)
- Free Spanish classes (subject to demand)
- Individually agreed annual professional development objectives
- A series of Albany-wide PDP developmental workshops
- Weekly team meetings
- A formal mid year professional development review
- A formal end of year appraisal
- The opportunity to attend the annual ACEIA conference in Seville in November
- The opportunity to apply for Albany support for identified training and/or development courses (eg: conferences, workshops and online courses).
- A peer observation programme
- A developmental observation providing teachers with constructive feedback and suggestions at least twice a year
- The opportunity to lead team meetings or PDP/in house workshops
- Encouragement, advice and support for those interested in speaking at local, national and international teaching conferences
Vacancies
- Experienced General English teachers
- Experienced VYL and YL teachers
- Experienced Cambridge Exam teachers
- Full & Part time teachers
- Teachers to work off site in companies
We belong to
- ACEIA (The Association of Language Schools for Andalucia)
- FECEI (The National Federation of Private Language Schools in Spain)
