ST HELENA GOVERNMENT
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR
TEACHING AND LEARNING ADVISOR (PRIMARY)
1. BACKGROUND
General
1.1 The island of St Helena, an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom (UK) is of volcanic origin and covers 47 square miles in the South Atlantic Ocean. St Helena is over 4,000 miles from the UK, 700 miles southeast of Ascension Island, and 1,700 miles from South Africa. The Island’s total population is around 4,000 persons, about 25% of whom live in the capital, Jamestown. The climate is kept mild and equable by the southeast trade winds and temperatures range from 14-32 degrees centigrade in the summer and 14-26 degrees centigrade in winter. The economy is small and is mainly based on offshore employment, agriculture, fishing and more recently a small but growing volume of tourism. Most commodities are imported and St Helena relies heavily on UK Aid to support essential services and livelihoods.
1.2 St Helena currently has no airfield and therefore the only regular mode of access to the Island is via the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) St Helena, which calls roughly 25 times a year, shuttling between St Helena, Ascension, and Cape Town. On 22 July 2010 the Secretary of State for International Development, Andrew Mitchell, announced the UK Government’s intention to finance a project to build an airport on St Helena subject to four conditions being met. On 3 November 2011 it was announced that the Secretary of State’s conditions had been met, and a contract had been entered into with Basil Read (Pty) Ltd in the amount of £201.5 million for the design and construction of the airport, an additional up to £10 million in shared risk contingency, and £35.1 million for ten years of operation. The airport will greatly improve travel to and from the Island, open up opportunities for sustainable economic regeneration and ultimate financial self-sufficiency for St Helena.
1.3 The Governor is the most senior official in the St Helena Government (SHG) and he is supported by the three next ranking officials ie the Chief Secretary, the Financial Secretary and the Attorney General. Strategic decisions are in the main taken by the Executive Council which is chaired by the Governor and comprises 5 elected Members of the Legislative Council and the 3 senior SHG officials as ex officio members. The Public Service comprises a number of directorates each headed by a Director reporting either to the Chief Secretary, Financial Secretary or directly to the Governor. Most of the directorates are also required to work with one or more of the 8 Council Committees that comprise elected Members of the Legislative Council. The Directorates are required to provide advice to, and take policy direction from, the relevant Committees.
Education & Employment Directorate
1.4 This is a very exciting time to think about joining the Education and Employment Directorate.
1.5 Now that the airport construction project is underway new opportunities are being created for the young people of St Helena.
1.6 Whilst there is a recent history of underachievement and migration away from the Island there are signs that these past trends are now reversing. We are seeing a small number of families returning to the island as employment prospects increase.
1.7 A new Director of Education and Employment came into post in March 2012 with a vision to transform the island’s educational infrastructure so that it is complimentary to the changing skill recruitments of the emerging economy.
1.8 To assist St Helena to progress this change agenda a significant programme of financial and educational assistance continues to be processed by the UK government through the Department for International Development (DFID). This support programme provides good opportunities for continuing professional development for the children’s workforce and an ambitious programme together for raising attainment.
1.9 There are currently four schools on the Island, one secondary school, Prince Andrew School and three Primary Schools, Harford, Pilling and St Pauls.
1.10 The curriculum that the island has in place broadly models the English education system and young people take SAT’s at the end of Key Stage 2 and GCSE’s and other recognised UK qualifications at the end of KS4. A programme of 6th form study is available which includes ‘A’ level courses at Prince Andrew School and distance learning supported programmes.
1.11 The curriculum will continue to develop alongside the changing economic developments. The new Director is keen to put in place vocational developments including Marine Studies and an expansion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
1.12 The Island has a small, but very committed workforce, who shares a common goal to provide the best possible opportunities for the young people of St Helena to realise their ambitions.
2. SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENT
2.1 The role of the Teaching and Learning Primary Advisor is to support the implementation of the Directorate Strategic Plan 2012-15 which focuses on the single priority of raising attainment across all schools. The post holder will work closely with the RAP Primary who will line manage the post.
The attached school evaluations provide a clear indication of current standards.
Targets by 2015:
70% of primary pupils to make 2 sub levels progress/year;
KS1 70% of pupils achieving L2(b) in reading writing and maths;
KS2 70% of pupils achieving L4(b) in English, maths and science;
90+% of pupils to be entered for KS tests.
The three key areas of intervention required are:
Improving the quality of Teaching and Learning.
(Target by 2015: 100% of lessons to be satisfactory or better)
· Providing practical advice on all teaching and learning issues within the primary phase and introducing and supporting strategies to raise the quality of teaching – current emphasis is on literacy and numeracy and the use of skills ladders, focussed teaching, teaching of phonics and strategies to improve the attainment of boys (particularly in literacy); the promotion of an engaging and challenging curriculum for all primary aged pupils; embedding good early years practice based on the EYFS
· Working with all staff to demonstrate and model effective teaching and deployment of learning support;
· Supporting each school in assessment for learning and in particular target setting and monitoring children’s progress. In particular ensure that teachers assessments are accurate and that those pupils not making appropriate levels of progress are sufficiently supported and challenged by planned intervention;
· Working alongside the RAP Primary and SEN Officer in developing appropriate support strategies for children with special needs.
· Putting in place effective transition arrangements, including between Pre-school providers and Prince Andrew Secondary.
· Putting in place a programme which extends Gifted and Talented pupils.
· Supporting the implementation of a programme of Out of School activities including breakfast clubs in each school.
Training – ITT and CPD
· Working alongside the Education Officer Training in planning and first hand delivery of CPD and ITT programmes;
· Providing active support to the development of distance learning links and on island programmes with UK training providers
Leadership and management
· Supporting primary colleagues by raising confidence, embedding ambition and driving improvement;
· Ensuring that there are clear and sharp lines of accountability established through the monitoring of professional practice, assessment and tracking of the performance of individual and year cohorts of pupils;
· Ensuring that the School Development Plan reflects the analysis as set out in the school’s self –evaluation ensuring that the development priorities are reflected in individual staff appraisal targets;
· Developing leadership and management capacity with schools;
· Supporting all staff in schools in developing their understanding, analysis and best use of school resources;
· Liaising with the RAP Primary and other senior officers including the Director of Education on all professional matters.
Reporting
The Training and Learning Advisor (Primary) will be responsible to the Director of Education and Employment and work closely with the Raising Attainment Partner (Primary).
Qualifications, Experience and Skills Required
· At least three years experience of classroom teaching
· Outstanding classroom practice
· The ability to provide demonstration lessons
· Experience of providing quality advice to teachers and support staff
· Qualified teacher status(UK)’
Timing
The contract should commence during August/September 2012 and lasts for one year.
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