Professional Documents
Culture Documents
‐ IH SAN SEBASTIAN
Recruitment Brochure 2015‐2016
Lacunza ‐ IH San Sebastian
was founded in 1956
and has been a member of the
International House World Organisation
since 1976.
We hope that this booklet
will give you a clear idea as to
what the school and the city
of San Sebastian
have to offer.
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 3
10 Reasons to work for Lacunza – IH San Sebastian ............................................................................................... 4
1. GENERAL INFORMATION .......................................................................................................5
What’s San Sebastian Like? ................................................................................................................................ 5
Climate ............................................................................................................................................................ 5
Lifestyle and things to do ................................................................................................................................... 5
Places to Visit.................................................................................................................................................... 6
The people and the language .............................................................................................................................. 6
Practical information about living in San Sebastian ............................................................................................... 6
2. COMPANY INFORMATION .....................................................................................................8
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 8
The IH Organisation, Cambridge ESOL & EAQUALS ................................................................................................ 8
The Buildings .................................................................................................................................................... 8
Our Approach to Teaching & Learning ................................................................................................................. 9
The Staff........................................................................................................................................................... 9
Our Clients ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
The different levels we work with ..................................................................................................................... 10
Timetables...................................................................................................................................................... 10
School Policies and Procedures ......................................................................................................................... 11
3. JOB INFORMATION SEPTEMBER 2015 TO JUNE 2016 .............................................................14
Teacher Profile ................................................................................................................................................ 14
Conditions ...................................................................................................................................................... 14
Professional Development ............................................................................................................................... 15
Holidays ......................................................................................................................................................... 15
Arrival in San Sebastian .................................................................................................................................... 15
Medical Check‐Ups for New Teachers ................................................................................................................ 16
Salaries .......................................................................................................................................................... 17
Monthly Increments ........................................................................................................................................ 17
Working in Academia Lacunza ‐ International House ........................................................................................... 19
Introduction
With over fifty years of continued growth and development Lacunza–ih is a dynamic organisation focused
on the provision of excellent linguistic services to its clients.
Thanks to our committed teachers and to the thousands of students who have trusted us, our organisation
has earned local prestige and a reputation within the world of language teaching.
We are constantly looking for new talents to be part of our team of teachers and to play a key role in the
development of our activities, as directors of studies and in other middle management positions across the
organisation.
As a Lacunza‐ih teacher you will benefit from extensive training and support to develop your professional
skills and benefit from competitive compensation and benefits.
Whatever you decide to do after your time with us, your experience will have been enriching both
professionally and personally.
With my very best wishes.
Joseba Lasa Goñi
Director General
10 Reasons to work for Lacunza – IH San Sebastian
You will be part of a well run and successful organisation with an established reputation both locally
and in the EFL world.
You will benefit from a wide variety of teaching work including groups at all ages and levels, Exam
classes, Business English, Telephone English and other specialist activities.
You will be working in a healthy and stimulating multi‐cultural atmosphere with teachers from all over
the world. We teach French, Chinese and Basque as well as English and there is the opportunity to
study these languages as well as Spanish.
You will have access to a comprehensive range of training which caters for the developmental needs of
teachers with varying degrees of experience.
You will be part of a dedicated and enthusiastic workforce who are able and willing to share their
teaching expertise.
You will enjoy the support of a well‐resourced organisation which offers competitive conditions in our
field and cares about the welfare of its staff and employees.
San Sebastian is a beautiful, safe city which is big enough to offer all the necessary amenities but which
you can easily get around on foot or by bike.
Due to its location, the city is something of a cultural crossroads, and for its size has a rich and
stimulating offer of cinema, theatre and music.
The Basque country is great for outdoor sports and you will have plenty of opportunities for surfing,
cycling, walking and skiing.
It is also a region which is justifiably famous for its food and drink!
Climate
Due to the effect of the sea it is generally quite mild even in the winter. Temperatures rarely fall below
zero although it can rain a lot and feel quite damp. The summer months are usually warm and tend to be a
bit humid compared to other parts of Spain. As in most other places the weather ‘seems to be changing’
and can be different one year to the next. As in Britain, people tend to talk about the weather because it is
so variable.
Lifestyle and things to do
Compared to big cities, life is pretty relaxed. In their free time people are happy to simply go out for a stroll
with family or friends without any particular purpose except to get a bit of fresh air or do the rounds of the
local bars. People are passionate about food and eating and the ‘sociedad gastronomica’ where friends
gather to cook and eat together is a cornerstone of the traditional culture. There is of course a fantastic
choice of restaurants, ranging from the three‐star Michelin guide type to the local cuisine, as well as a few
Italian and Chinese restaurants. That said, vegetarians might find the choice limited.
The Basques are keen on sports of all types and for participants there are good facilities available at
reasonable prices for a range of both indoor and outdoor sports. There is easy access to the beautiful
surrounding countryside for rambling, fell‐walking, cycling and mountain biking. Surfing and wind‐surfing
Places to Visit
The countryside of northern Spain is quite mountainous with numerous hill‐top villages and small fishing
ports which are all interesting places to stop and explore.
France is only 20 kilometres away with Biarritz some 25 minutes by car from San Sebastian. The ski‐resorts
of the Spanish and French Pyrenees are less than two hours drive away, and its geographical location also
means that you can travel direct from San Sebastian to places such as Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao (the
Guggenheim Museum) and Paris. There are good direct buses to these places.
The people and the language
People living in this area are predominantly Basque and proud of their rich history and cultural background.
The Basque language or Euskera, as it is known locally, is now taught in most schools and the majority of
children and young people are bilingual in Spanish and Basque. It is becoming more and more common to
hear Basque spoken although Spanish is by far the predominant language in San Sebastian itself.
The Basques are perhaps more reserved than in other areas of Spain but once you get to know them they
are extremely friendly and it is evident that they know how to enjoy themselves.
Practical information about living in San Sebastian
The link below provides an abundance of up‐to‐date and practical information including prices on topics
such as getting here, transport, eating out, shopping etc.
http://wikitravel.org/en/San_Sebastian
Cost of Living
You should expect to spend approximately €350‐450 a month on rent and bills if you want to live in the
centre of town – if you are prepared to live further out rents can be considerably cheaper. If you are
arriving as a couple and want a place to yourselves you should expect to pay more. Food prices are much
the same as in Europe with the exception of fresh produce which is considerably cheaper. Dairy products
and fish are rather expensive but of excellent quality. A lot of the produce on sale at the local markets is
from nearby farms. If you have transport or use the bus there are several big hypermarkets on the
outskirts.
Getting around
Local buses are regular and relatively well priced. You can get a special card with a chip which you use on
the buses at a reduced rate. Both train stations are centrally located offering good transportation to other
parts of Spain. Going to France via the local narrow gauge train, known locally as ‘el Topo’, is quick, cheap
and convenient.
Bringing a Car
We do not recommend you bring a car as everything is within walking distance and well served by public
transport. Parking is a problem, especially in the residential areas as most of it is pay‐and‐display unless you
get a permit. Also, if you are bringing a car from abroad you will eventually have to change the number
plates and registration documents. This is for insurance reasons as there is a new European regulation for
people spending more than three months in a different country. It is a costly and troublesome operation
which will consume a great deal of time and energy. You will also have to change your driver’s licence as
well after a period of 6 months.
The IH Organisation, Cambridge ESOL & EAQUALS
As Academia Lacunza has grown in size and locations over the years, it has also gained international
recognition. For more than thirty‐five years it has been an influential affiliate of the International House
World Organisation, running teacher training courses such as the RSA Diploma / DELTA since 1979. Since
1981 Academy Lacunza has been among the most important of the recognised centres for Cambridge
exams in Spain. One important benefit of this is the opportunity for members of our staff to be trained and
become oral examiners. In 1991 the school became one of ten founder members of the EAQUALS
organisation (the European Association for Quality Language Services), and has been a full as well as
founding member since 1994.
Such recognition of the quality of our work is a firm guarantee for all those who subscribe to our services.
It also means an obligation to make every effort to innovate and to improve, in order to achieve our main
aim of fully satisfying our customers.
The Buildings
In San Sebastian itself the school has more than 80 classrooms housed in seven different buildings, four of
which are within easy walking distance (3 to 5 minutes) of each other in the city centre. The remaining
three are in the city’s outlying neighbourhoods are easily reached by bus or on foot. Lacunza also has
branches in Irun and Zarautz, both about 20 kms from San Sebastian up and down the coast, and in
Renteria, on the way to Irun.
Each building has its own Director of Studies, and staff rooms are fully equipped with the necessary
teaching resources. The classrooms are all well equipped and there are Internet facilities which can be used
by teachers. Wi‐Fi is also available for teachers who wish to use their own personal computers.
It is our aim to provide dynamic and stimulating classes, which give emphasis to the development of
fluency, good pronunciation and the accurate use of language.
This work is supported and extended by regular homework, which is challenging, well‐explained and have a
clear purpose. Homework includes work which the learners are capable of doing by themselves, and
thereby frees up time in the class for activities for which a teacher is essential.
Classes are preceded by careful planning and executed within the framework of sound classroom
management. It is only in this way that we are able to use classroom time to the maximum effect and give
learners a sense of achievement.
Good teaching with students making clear progress can only be achieved through a school having a
consistent syllabus with clear and purposeful aims. You will be provided with a guide for each level and
course books including deadlines for progress tests and detailing what material we think it is important to
cover. To this end the school has also adopted the system of levels which are detailed in the Council of
Europe’s Common European Framework and the parallel system of levels from the University of Cambridge.
Learners see that we care for them as individuals through our personal attention. As teachers we ensure
that they make steady progress to the best of their ability and give constant encouragement. We monitor
them continuously through their performance in the class, the quality and regularity of homework and their
results in both tests and external exams. Their work needs to be consistently and regularly marked and
detailed records of their progress kept. In this way we can keep both learners and parents well informed of
their progress.
We expect learners to take responsibility for their learning by attending regularly, behaving in a way that
leads to a friendly and co‐operative atmosphere and by doing the homework tasks set in class.
The Staff
We employ nearly 170 people, consisting of Teaching and Administrative Personnel, Directors, Directors of
Studies and so on. Our educational staff includes teachers with many years of experience who are experts
in their field as well as published course book writers.
Our Clients
The school has a large intake of students in September each year (more than 5,000 in Oct 2014 plus over 300
hours per week of Business English Courses), although the number of students studying our summer courses
is considerably lower.
On average, our clients can be divided according to their age as follows:
8 or less 7%
9 ‐ 11 17%
12 ‐ 15 32%
16 ‐ 17 12%
18 or more 32%
The different levels we work with
All levels are taught from complete beginners to post‐Proficiency. About 40% of these levels are in the B2
or C1 level range. Quite a large number of our clients prepare for one of the different Cambridge exams ‐
especially FCE and CAE. We believe that clients benefit from preparing for an external examination and
encourage them to do so. This feeling is shared by the parents of the younger students who attach a great
deal of importance to certificates and qualifications. The school is now recommending that students reach
the level of CAE.
In order to create homogeneous groups we carefully group our students into one of 10 basic language
levels and, for students between 6 and 18, any one of several age bands and a slightly broader range of
levels.
Timetables
Classes are offered Monday to Saturday, from 07.30 a.m. to 9.30 p.m. with the exception of Saturdays
when classes are offered from 09.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. The working week is from Monday to Saturday.
Timetables may be altered during the course as needs change.
The offer of class frequency is quite extensive. There are daily classes or in sessions of one, two, three or
four times a week. Lessons may be of one hour, one and a half, two or three hours in length.
You may find that you are working either a split or a block timetable and your timetable could consist of:
A variety of ages including young learners, adolescents and adults
General or Business English
Telephone or Interview Sessions
Conversational English courses
Classes could be either on premises or off premises or both.
Teachers may occasionally be asked to carry out tasks such as exam supervision at a time outside their
normal timetable.
tue 0 0 0 0 0 0 Adults Pre Int 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bus OUT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Adolsc. Post FC Adolesc. FC Adults Pre Int 0
thu 0 0 0 0 0 0 Adults Pre Int 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bus OUT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Adolsc. Post FC Adolesc. FC Adults Pre Int 0
fri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
fri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
sat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
School Policies and Procedures
Lacunza ‐ IH is a big school spread over several teaching centres and we rely on the co‐operation of
everyone to ensure its smooth running. The following entries describe certain ‘house rules’ which you
need to be aware of in order to carry out your role effectively. Part of the initial settling in period will also
be spent on getting to know how we keep track of the different classes and individual learners along with
other administrative procedures.
Learners’ Progress
The company views the non‐classroom aspects of teaching as an integral part of a teacher’s work and
expects full co‐operation since teachers’ contributions are essential for good course administration.
Your students will be regarded as a ‘portfolio’ of learners that you are responsible for. This means keeping
daily attendance and progress records, conducting mid‐grade and end‐of‐grade tests, writing learners’
Conditions
Length of Contracts
The initial length of the basic contract being offered is for one academic year, i.e. September to the end of
June. (See http://descargas.lacunza.es/teacher_contract_eng.pdf for an English translation of the standard
contract.) However, it is normally possible for teachers to continue their employment with the school until
the end of July on a new contract, if they wish to do so.
All teachers are employed on an exclusive basis. Any other work outside Lacunza ‐ IH San Sebastian is not
allowed unless specifically authorised.
Working Hours
The standard contract is for an annual total of 1106 working hours which can be distributed over the length
of the contract according to the company’s needs. For practical purposes this is averaged out to a weekly
total of approximately 26 hours, of which 24 are contact teaching hours. The remaining two hours are
actively used for educational and administrative purposes (see paid non‐contact hours).
The number of teaching hours per week may vary throughout the contract according to the school’s needs.
This means that at some periods of the year teachers may work less than 24 hours per week and at others
more (never more than 32 in a week). This may involve tasks such as invigilating Cambridge exams in
December, March, and June. Please note that this might be on a Saturday.
The flexibility that this system allows enables the company to continue offering teachers a guaranteed
fixed salary for the duration of the contract rather than operating a prorata system.
Teachers may work a six‐day consecutive week from Monday to Saturday mornings. Teachers working on
Saturday mornings are required to teach on the following Monday.
Paid non‐contact hours
Tasks such as preparing classes, correcting homework and tests, informal counselling of students or social
interchange with them before or after lessons are understood to be part and parcel of normal teaching
activity and therefore not covered by paid non‐contact hours. These hours are reserved for any meetings
or activities apart from classes which are organised by the school and which teachers are expected to
attend. These include staff meetings, grade meetings, and meetings with parents.
Holidays
These coincide with dates when the school is closed, i.e. generally two weeks at Christmas and 10 days at
Easter plus annual leave entitlement taken in the summer (equivalent of one months’ holiday per calendar
year worked).
Arrival in San Sebastian
For those teachers who take advantage of the accommodation services we provide, we anticipate your
arrival on Wednesday 2 September. We will reserve and pay for three nights in a hotel (Wednesday 2,
Thursday 3 and Friday 4). Please note that this is likely to be in a shared double room ‐ any alternative
arrangements would be at your own expense.
Thursday 3 September is reserved for flat‐hunting and related matters. The induction programme ‐ which
is designed to be an introduction to educational and administrative systems, timetabling, meeting DoS,
preparing classes and generally settling in ‐ is scheduled for Friday, Monday and Tuesday. Classes start on
Wednesday 9 September but contracts for new teachers start on Friday 4 September, and as such the
induction process is remunerated. During this period time is also reserved for dealing with paperwork such
as registering with the police and obtaining an ID number.
Most members of the staff rent accommodation in the city centre or in one of the surrounding suburbs, for
the convenience this offers. Flats are usually fairly large (3/4 bedrooms) and in good condition and
adequately furnished with cutlery, crockery, pots and pans provided. The majority of flats have a television,
telephone, fridge and washing machine. Most teachers share, 2 or 3 teachers to one flat, as rents can be
expensive (from €750 to €1100 a month for a three bedroom flat near the school). First year teachers not
recruited in the San Sebastian area are entitled to a settling‐in allowance of €205. It is common practice, when
signing a contract for a flat, to pay one month's rent in advance and one month's rent as a deposit. The
company can give loans of up to €600 for this purpose, should the teacher require it. This money is then
deducted in three equal parts from the first three months of the salary.
The school provides a service where we locate a selection of suitable flats for teachers before they arrive.
Information about these flats will be posted on a Facebook page which we will set up for new teachers.
Those who are interested in these flats will be taken to see them on day‐one of welcome week. There is
absolutely no financial benefit to the service we provide and it is there to facilitate matters for new
teachers, but please be aware that there is a limit to our resources. It is important for you to realise that
Medical Check‐Ups for New Teachers
Spanish employment legislation requires that all new employees to a company must undergo a medical
check‐up to evaluate their state of health and potential vulnerability to work related health risks. Please
take note that if you accept employment with Lacunza you will be obliged to attend such a check‐up, and
that this will involve providing blood and urine samples. The results of this medical are absolutely
confidential and for your eyes only. The school only receives statistical information which may be of
relevance in our particular employment sector. (For example, teachers who suffer from throat problems.)
In the local context, the existence of this check‐up is perceived as beneficial for the worker, and as an
acquired right or perk. However, from a different cultural perspective it might be seen as a potential
invasion of privacy. Nonetheless, as under the law employers can be held to account if they do not ensure
workers have undergone such a check‐up, please be warned that this is something we will expect you to co‐
operate with.
Monthly Increments
Experience and qualifications
Increments are calculated when the employment commences and remain unchanged for the duration of
the contract.
(**) Where a Masters in Applied Linguistics is considered equivalent to a DELTA or DTEFLA qualification, an
increment may be paid. However, this is decided on a case by case basis as the content and nature of these
qualifications varies considerably depending on the awarding body.
IHCYL holders
€37 per month where a teacher has at least four or more groups of young learners.
One‐off Payments
Travelling costs (cost of flight not including excess baggage and for 1st year teachers not
recruited in San Sebastian area) *
Inbound journey: Up to a maximum of €170 (Paid on production of a valid receipt.)
Outbound journey: Up to a maximum of €170 (Paid on production of a valid receipt.)
Settling in allowance (1st year teachers not recruited in San Sebastian area) *
€205
(*) Payment for the inbound journey and the settling‐in allowance will be made on arrival in San Sebastian.
However, these payments are made in lieu of the satisfactory completion of the full nine months of the
contract. Should the employee not complete the contract (i.e. leave before the established finishing date),
the employee is liable to refund the amount paid.
Sick leave
Teachers are paid 80% of the gross salary for each day of sick leave officially certified by a social security
doctor. Under Spanish law for accounting purposes every month is considered to have 30 days. The daily
rate is therefore the gross monthly salary divided by 30.
Holiday pay
This is accrued at the rate of one‐twelfth per month worked.
Loans
The company can give loans of up to €600 for settling in should you require help. This money is then
deducted in three equal parts from the first three months of your salary.
This booklet is meant as a guide to working for Lacunza ‐ IH San Sebastian, Spain.
For any additional information concerning employment in our school please contact:
IH RECRUITMENT SERVICES IN LONDON
INTERNATIONAL HOUSE
LONDON
or
Simon Clarke
LACUNZA‐INTERNATIONAL HOUSE
C/ Urbieta 16
San Sebastian 20006
Spain
simon.clarke@lacunza.es