Day in the life of a Languages Consultant at the Harris Federation

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to influence the future of language learning across multiple schools? As a Languages Consultant at the Harris Federation, every day is different. Whether its supporting teachers in the classroom, designing curriculum plans, or delivering engaging training sessions, this role is all about making a real impact.

Read on to discover what a day in the life looks like for a Languages Consultant. While this is just one example of a possible day, each day brings new challenges, opportunities, and experiences that keep the role exciting. 

 

6.30am: My day begins

An early start sees me travelling to one of our academies. With schools spread across London, my mornings often begin with a journey by train and a quick check of emails to see if anything urgent has come in overnight.

8.00am: Supporting an academy

Upon arrival at Harris Academy Bermondsey, I meet with the Head of languages to discuss priorities for the day. Today, I’m observing a Year 9 French lesson, where we’re trialling a new approach to developing the students’ writing skills. I take note on student engagement, teacher delivery, and areas for improvement. Afterwards, I provide immediate feedback to the teacher, offering praise for effective techniques and discussing strategies for refining the lesson delivery 

10.30am: Curriculum development

Finding a quiet space, I review curriculum plans for the upcoming term. At Harris, we want languages lessons to be engaging and accessible. This means aligning our curriculum with best practices, developing high-quality resources, and ensuring the teachers feel confident delivering them. Today, I’m working on a new scheme of work as we have a new GCSE for first examination in June 2026, and I am looking specifically at vocabulary retrieval opportunities. 

12.00pm: Working lunch

Lunch is often a working one where I catch up on emails, support teachers remotely, or join a virtual meeting with other languages Consultants. Collaboration is key, so we regularly check in to share best practices and discuss the latest developments in languages education. 

1.00pm: Split teaching and lesson intervention

KS4 is often at the forefront of my support to schools. Today, I withdraw some Year 11 French students from their lesson, following a recent data drop, and I teach them how to tackle a specific exam question successfully. The smaller group intervention allows me to focus on their immediate needs and provide a lot of personal and immediate feedback. 

3.00pm: Supporting an Early Career Teacher

One of my favourite parts of the job is running professional development sessions for staff. This afternoon, I’m leading a workshop on retrieval practice in language learning to help teachers implement strategies to reinforce vocabulary and grammar retention. It’s rewarding to see teachers leave with new ideas they’re excited to try with their own classes. I also mentor one of our Early Career Teachers, observing their lesson and providing coaching. Many teachers new to the profession can find it challenging balancing lesson planning, behaviour management, and assessment overwhelming, so having dedicated support can make a real difference. We discuss lesson structure and classroom management techniques. 

4.30pm: Wrapping up the day

As the school day winds down, I catch up on some admin and emails. Before heading home, I check in with a few colleagues and make a note of key takeaways to feed into our broader languages strategy. I also take the time to complete my weekly visit notes, which I will send at the end of the week on to the principal, to keep them informed of our progress.

6.00pm: Final task from home

After a short break, I log back in to review and refine teaching resources for an upcoming languages network meeting. Ensuring our teachers have high-quality materials is a key part of my role so I spend some time updating lesson plans. I also use this time to answer any outstanding emails from teachers who may need additional support. 

7.00pm: Time to recharge

Once home, I make sure to switch off and unwind, whether that be through reading or exercising. Tomorrow will bring a new set of challenges and opportunities but that’s what makes this role so rewarding. 

 

If you love languages and want to make a lasting impact on students and teachers alike, a career in languages at the Harris Federation could be for you. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop innovative teaching practices and drive meaningful change in languages education whilst being part of a supportive network of Languages Teachers. 

Ready to learn more? Explore our Languages vacancies.