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Ref no:
SHW00005
Published:
20/07/2021
Closes:
20/08/2021
Location:
SCHOLAR, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AP
Salary:
£33,473 - £41,128 per year
Contract Type:
Permanent, Temporary
Position Type:
Full Time, Part Time
Hours:
35 hours per week

Scottish National Standardised Assessments - SNSA - Support Officer

About our School/Directorate and Team:

The partnership, comprising ACER International United Kingdom Limited ("ACER UK"), SCHOLAR and Twig World Ltd. has been formed to provide professional development of teachers in the use and application of the Scottish National Standardised Assessments as commissioned by the Scottish Government.

Each partner group member brings unique strengths to the development and delivery of training and associated support. The ACER Group draws on its extensive experience of implementing national level online assessments in schools, and in supporting schools with associated data analysis, interpretation and application. SCHOLAR draws on its deep pedagogical expertise and longstanding reputation as a trusted educational partner to secondary schools and local authorities in Scotland. Twig brings technical innovation and know-how, expertise in communications and engagement, and strong links with primary schools.

0ur training and professional development programme is underpinned by the work of the Scottish National Standardised Assessments - Support Officers who bring substantial experience of teaching and learning in the primary or secondary sectors and are committed to improving attainment in Scottish schools.

You will join a team with high-level technical competence, strong existing links with schools and authorities and academic credibility with the teaching profession in Scotland.

SCHOLAR

SCHOLAR, a programme of Heriot-Watt University, has been operating since 1999. The success of SCHOLAR derives from its pedagogical model leading to the development and delivery of high quality, interactive e-learning resources to over 168,000 teachers, lecturers and learners in schools and colleges across Scotland.

ACER UK

ACER UK is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), a not-for-profit organisation with 85 years of experience in educational research, revenues of AU$70m (2014) and 380 staff worldwide. ACER UK has been operating in the United Kingdom since 2005, running projects in England, Wales and Ireland.

Twig World Ltd.

Twig World Ltd., with headquarters in Glasgow, and established in 2009, is a digital media company providing film-based curriculum linked resources for schools in over 50 countries.

The ACER-led partner group offer a comprehensive programme of communications, orientation, technical and pedagogical training to support the delivery of the assessments. Our programme encompasses key stakeholders, focussing on staff in local authorities and schools.

Purpose of Role:

Scottish National Standardised Assessments – A Support Officer is being sought to support teachers in the implementation of the Scottish National Standardised Assessments in primary and secondary schools.

Support Officers deliver training, in the SNSA assessment system, to all relevant stakeholders. Part of the training involves professional development in the use of the standardised assessment data analytics for improving attainment and how it contributes to teacher professional judgment of children's progress.

Support Officers disseminate the technical information that allows the education community to be confident that the technology used to deliver the assessments works, and - ultimately more importantly - the opportunity to provide substantive support to learning, particularly in the development of data literacy.

Summary of Key Duties and Responsibilities:

The role holders are responsible for:

  • the training and professional development of primary and secondary teachers across Scotland in the use of the Scottish National Standardised Assessments;
  • aiding the creation and editing of existing ACER training materials and modern methodologies e.g. webinars for Scottish teachers;
  • evaluating feedback from training sessions to permit rapid refinement of the staff development programmes;
  • leading on the professional development of teachers in the use of the standardised assessments to improve data literacy, raise attainment and support teachers’ professional judgment of children’s progress.
  • liaising with, and briefing, other stakeholders on the effectiveness of the staff development programmes.

Support Officers are expected to travel to schools and other locations throughout Scotland, where appropriate and permissible.

The successful applicant/s are subject to Disclosure Scotland accreditation.

Education, Qualifications & Experience:

These are the criteria on which the short-listing and recruitment selection will be made.

Essential

  1. Degree or degree level qualifications
  2. Professional qualification (e.g. GTCS accreditation)
  3. Extensive experience of teaching in Scottish primary or secondary schools
  4. High level organisational skills with the ability to prioritise major developments and to function effectively in a pressured environment
  5. Ability to present complex information effectively with good attention to detail
  6. Demonstrable professional and proactive approach
  7. Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team

Desirable

  1. Accredited training qualification
  2. Experience of developing and delivering training and professional development
  3. Experience of creating surveys and gathering feedback
  4. Experience of using standardised assessments in a classroom environment

Grade and Salary: Grade 7 £33,473 to £41,128

FTE and working pattern: 1.0, although we welcome and would consider part-time, job share and/or and flexible working patterns.

This position is offered on a fixed term basis until 31st July 2022

Any queries should be sent to Laura Green (l.green@hw.ac.uk). Closing date for applications is 16th August 2021.