Chinese Language Assistants – Template Offer letter

  • This template offer letter is designed for the use of UK schools employing a Chinese Language Assistant, as part of the British Council’s Language Assistant programme.
  • The letter is essential for the visa application process, and therefore please ensure information regarding Appointment dates and Salary remain at the top of this document
  • Other sections can be amended and delete sentences as necessary
  • Please copy the text into an email, and message to the assistant before Friday 1st July. You should CC’this to the relevant country officer for China:
  • Please send the original, hand signed copy of the offer letter (on school headed paper) to the following address, so that it arrives by 23June, 2017 at the latest. This is essential for the visa application process.

Chinese Language Assistants Team c/o Hannah Qurashi,

British Council,

10 Spring Gardens,

London,

SW1A 2BN

Insert school name, address, phone, email and website

Name and address of assistant

[Insert date here]

Dear [insert assistant’s full name here]

Appointment of Language Assistant 2017-2018

Appointment dates

I am pleased to offer you the role of Chinese Language Assistant at our school.Your period of appointment with us is for 41 weeks, from 12 September 2017 – 23 June 2018, and you will be working [12 – 18]hours a week at our school.

[Or please list accordingly if sharing arrangements are in place. For example:

You will be working 6 hours a week at our school and 6 hours a week at [name, address and postcode of school], our partner school.]

There will also be a French/German/Irish/Spanish/Italian/Chinese/Russian [delete as appropriate] Language Assistant at our school/the partner school.

Salary

Your yearly salary is calculated using the following formula:

(Hourly rate x Hours worked per week) x Contract length + £200 = Total

Hourly rate
This will rise in line with any rises in the National Living Wage. / £7.50
Number of hours worked per week / [12– 18]
Length of contract in weeks / 41
Sub-total / [inset sub-total £]
One off refund of £200 immigration health surcharge fee / 200.00
Total / [insert full total £]

You will therefore be paid [insert full total £] throughout your time as a Chinese Language Assistant at our school.

Please note the hourly rate is set in line with the National Living Wage, and this will rise in line with any changes introduced by the UK government throughout the year. This salary excludes the monthly personal allowance of $1000 which will be paid by Hanban directly to you in two instalments.

Required documentation

Prior to your arrival in the UK, you must send your criminal record/police certificate, medical certificate, photographic identification (ID) and references to [Insert school / local authority email address here] if they were not provided with your application.

You must also bring the original documents with you when you come to the UK, and present them to us on arrival.

UK Criminal Record Check

You will also be required to undertake a criminal record check when you arrive in the UK as per UK employment legislation. Further information will be given to you prior to your start date.

Statement of Employment

You will be required to sign a statement of employment 8 weeks prior to your start date which is an employment contract between yourself and the school.

Our school [Example text only - please amend as appropriate for your institution]

[Information about school]

The area

The school is in [Insert area here]. There are plenty of places of interest nearby such as [Insert places of interest here].

Your classes [example text only]

You will have timetabled lessons with the Sixth Formers in groups of two or three, where you will cover the A level topics which the students are learning in class, but the main aim is to get them talking… [provide possible examples]

Term dates

The term dates for our school are as follows:

[Insert term dates here]

Our exam dates are [Insert exam dates here].

Training and observation [example text only]

The British Council will arrange training for you in London in November 2017.

We will arrange a period of one week's observation in our school for the first week that you are here.

Dress code [example text only]

The pupils wear a uniform… There is a dress code for staff but you should ask your mentor teacher for advice about what is acceptable for you to wear. We suggest something smart / casual but appropriate for a working environment.

Transport

There is a regular bus / train / tube service to and from [Insert local information here]

Accommodation

We are able to offer you accommodation on a [temporary / permanent] basis. This will be in a [shared flat / house / with a family / member of staff]. The address is [Insert address here].

Or

We are not able to provide accommodation, but we recommend you . During your first few weeks in the UK/prior to arrival in the UK, we will help you find suitable arrangements. [please delete as appropriate].

Arrival arrangements

Please give me details of your travel arrangements when you know them. If you wish to use public transport you can travel by train from to and someone will meet you.

Further contact[Please insert your holiday schedules]

Please provide written confirmation by email that you are going to accept the job. We break up for the summer holidays on July and term starts on September. If I have not spoken to you by telephone before you receive this letter please try to phone me at school during the daytime. The direct phone number for the Modern Languages Department is . My home phone number is and my e-mail address is .

I shall be away on holiday from to .It will be very useful for us to remain in contact over the summer period.

Mentor

will be your mentor teacher during your assistantship.

His/her contact details are I suggest you contact him/her as soon as possible to introduce yourself. During the summer holidays you can contact him/her at to ask any further questions about your post and the school(s).

He/she will be able to support you during the year with any questions or difficulties you may have.

Once you have accepted the position, I will send you more information about the materials we would like you to bring and the books the students use.

I am really looking forward to working with you and I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,