IH Cordoba | School profiles | Recruitment

Director: Claudio Cremades
DoS: Simon Armour
School and town profile:
Cordoba (population 350,000) is an attractive city in the heart of Andalucia, full of historical interest and with a warm, sunny climate most of the year. The city is small enough to walk nearly everywhere and is relatively peaceful, though in spring there are lively traditional festivals and musical events. Sevilla, Malaga and Granada are all within easy reach of Cordoba and there are also frequent trains to and from Madrid, the fastest taking less than two hours.

Founded in 1953, the school is centrally located in a typical Cordoban building with two patios, thirteen classrooms and a large room for meetings and social activities. Seven rooms in an adjoining house are also in use.

Over 1,100 Spanish students study English, French and German, and there are Spanish classes for foreigners throughout the year. As many of our students are children (minimum four years of age) and adolescents, all teachers have a number of groups of Younger Learners. Students come in groups of twelve (maximum) and have classes for two to three hours a week. There is a wide range of levels from elementary up to CPE. The school is the local examination centre for the Cambridge ESOL examinations KET, PET, FCE, CAE, CPE and YLE

There are eleven full-time and two part-time teachers of English. There is a Director of Studies, an Assistant Director of Studies and a Children’s Co-ordinator, with additional posts of I.T. Coordinator and Assistant YL Co-ordinator. Classes are taught mainly on Mon-Fri evenings with some Saturday mornings and in-company classes on weekday mornings.

Most teachers are able to find suitable accommodation within a reasonable time of their arrival in the city. There is a video room, a well-stocked teachers’ room, a library/study centre with computers, Internet, and lots of materials students can take out at the weekends.

We place a lot of importance on Teacher Development. In their first year, new teachers will automatically follow the IH YLs Certificate course (free) and in their second or third year will be able to follow the DELTA distance training course, which can be funded by the school up to 90%, subject to conditions.
As well as these official training qualifications, the school runs a lively programme of regular seminars and observations throughout the year.
Contract dates:
Usually nine months (October to June)
Hours:
Min 22 hours / Max 25 hours per week.
Holidays:
All the following holiday periods are paid: Christmas: 2 weeks from 23rd Dec 2005 to 8th Jan 2006 inclusive. Easter: 8th - 16th April 2006 inclusive. National Holidays: 12th, 24th Oct; 1st Nov; 6th & 8th Dec; 28th Feb, 1st May. Local Holidays: 25th & 26th May 2006 (Town Fair). At the end of the 9 month contract teachers receive an extra 75% of a month's salary as holiday pay.
Accommodation:
Free accommodation is not provided, but the school helps teachers find suitable accommodation in the Induction period (September). New teachers doing the IHYLC are paid full basic salary from the day they start the course (15 September onwards). For new teachers who already have the IHYLC, there is a settling allowance in last week of September (full basic salary for days present, maximum 7 days).
Number of Students:
1,150
Breakdown of Students:
General Courses for Adults: 400
General English for Juniors: 700
In-company: 50
Number of teachers:
Director. DoS, ADoS, Children’s Co-ordinator, 9 full-time and 4 part-time teachers of English, 2 part-time
teachers of French and 2 part-time teacher of German. The separate Spanish department (Academia Hispánica) has 5 part-time teachers. There are mini-posts of: Assistant Children’s Co-ordinator, and IT Co-ordinator
Facilities:
Twenty Classrooms, Social room, Teachers' Room, Library, Study Centre/Computer Room, Children's Resources Room
Future Developments:
Plans to expand company classes
Main Activities:
General English, French, German and Spanish Courses for Adults
General English Courses for Juniors
Cambridge ESOL Exam preparation courses
Methodology Course for Spanish Teachers of English
In-company classes
Notes on Contract:
Teachers always have Saturday classes in their first year, but for only half the course. First year teachers always have some conversation classes in their contract. There are increments for RSA Diploma, Exam Classes, and previous experience (non-IH or IH). Teachers Meetings are also paid.
Useful Info:
We place a lot of importance on in-service development.
After working a year at the school, it is possible to do the DELTA Distance Training Course, and the school supplies 90% funding for this, subject to conditions.
There is a lot of experience in the school's teaching staff.