PDST Advisor for Physical Education (PE) (Post- Primary)

Job Description and General Notes

1. Competition

The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) is a cross-sectoral support service under the remit of the Teacher Education Section (TES) of the Department of Education and Skills (DES) which offers professional development support to primary and post-primary teachers and school leaders.The work of the PDST contributes to school improvement by providing high quality CPD on curricular and educational issues, fostering reflective practice and ongoing development among teachers and school leaders.

Amongst the priorities for the Department of Education and Skills for the coming years is the implementation of proposals to improve Literacyand Numeracy in both primary and post-primary schools. Other key priorities include supporting school leadership, school self-evaluation, health and wellbeing and post-primary subjects and programmes. The PDST currently has a full-time secondment opportunity for the position of Advisor for post-primary PE.

All applicants for the role of Advisor must:

  • be qualified, serving teachers/deputy principals/principals
  • be fully registered with the Teaching Council
  • currently hold a post in a recognised primary or post-primary school or be on secondment from such a position.

Advisors will provide local, regional and national professional development and support for teachers and school leaders in priority educational areas.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Tuesday 2nd December.

  1. Job Description

PDST PE advisors will be responsible for the following tasks:

  1. Design a professional development plan to build the knowledge, skills and capacity of the teaching provision to meet the physical literacy needs of learners. This should be based on the current physical education curriculum. A number of models of professional development should be explored.
  2. Plan and implement summer learning courses to meet the needs of teachers in the area of improving the physical literacy of their pupils, and to support the establishment of effective formative and summative assessment practices. The initial focus should be placed on Fundamental Movement Skills through appropriate instructional practices in Physical Education.
  3. Develop a suite of assessment for learning tools, such as rubrics, to support learning in Physical Education, with an initial emphasis on Fundamental Movement Skills. These should aim to guide teachers’ observations and assessment of pupils’ movement competency, knowledge and understanding and provide a basis for formative feedback to learners. These instruments should also guide learners to improve their competency through self and peer-assessment.
  4. Ensure the established professional communities of practice in Physical Education are actively supported to engage in professional learning opportunities focused on physical literacy and assessment.
  5. All aspects of support should be provided through the lens of SSE.
  6. Advance the learning from existing pilot PE projects as follows:
  1. Continue to work with the project schools to develop their practice. Work with the identified “Link Teacher” in each school to build their professional capacity to lead their colleagues and peers through the PDST facilitator network.
  2. Maintain and further develop the online presence to support teachers’ access and share exemplars and to discuss their practice in Physical Education.
  1. Support the development of “exemplars of good practice” to provide tangible examples to schools of how best to build sustainable programmes, which support learners physical literacy*.

*Physical Literacy may be defined as “the foundation of characteristics, attributes, behaviours, skills, awareness and understanding related to healthy, active living and the promotion of physical recreation opportunities and positive health choices” (Tremblay, M. & Lloyd, M. “Physical Literacy measurement – the missing piece; Physical and Health Education Journal 76.1 (2010): 26-30.

In addition the PDST PE advisors will carry out the general duties of a PDST advisor as follows:

  • Deliver and facilitate continuing professional development associated with national priorities to teachers and school leaders in a range of settings: national seminars, evening workshops, school-based support, facilitated cluster meetings, communities of practice, teacher professional networks and on-line support.
  • Work with teachers and school leaders to promote and demonstrate exemplars of effective teaching and learning strategies, approaches and methodologies across a range of curricular areas.
  • Support the integration of ICT into teaching and learning
  • Support inclusive approaches to teaching and learning
  • Advise and support teachers and school leaders in school improvement: the school self-evaluation process and the implementation of the school improvement plan
  • Design and prepare resource materials for professional development and support
  • Contribute to the maintenance and development of existing web-based support
  • Provide targeted professional development support, as required, following whole-school evaluation.
  • Provide support for schools in relation to aspects of Section 24 of the Education Act 1998.
  • Co-operate, liaise and maintain effective communication with the national director, deputy directors, team leaders and participate in PDST meetings and team events.
  • Maintain records of all work activity and provide regular reports to relevant team leaders of continuing professional development support provided to teachers and school leaders.
  • co-operate, network and collaborate as required with other relevant bodies (e.g. Teacher Professional Networks/Learning Communities, Third Level Institutions, Colleges of Education) in meeting the needs of teachers.
  • collaborate with personnel in other support services (such as JCT, NIPT, SESS, PMDT).
  • Work in partnership with education centre directors on collaborative projects and local initiatives.
  • Liaise and collaborate with other members of the team, associate trainers and local facilitators, as required, to ensure cohesion and consistency in service delivery and train and mobilise part-time personnel as required.
  • Co-operate with external evaluators of the service.

Flexibility will be required from advisors to work in a number of areas. Consequently the duties to be undertaken by the advisors will vary in accordance with emerging needs and priorities.

3. Range of knowledge, experience and skills required:

Ideally the successful candidate will have a range of expertise in the following areas:

  • Involvement in curricular innovation/development and/or experience in the design and delivery of teacher professional development for PE including evidence of a capacity to mobilise and support teacher reflection, enquiry and classroom-based research.
  • A thorough knowledge of the education system generally and an in-depth knowledge of the PE curriculum at post-primary level.
  • A knowledge of the PE curriculum at primary level.
  • Knowledge and experience of Irish-medium education.
  • Knowledge and experience of literacy, numeracy, learning-support, special educational needs, DEIS, leadership and planning.
  • Knowledge and understanding of the School Self-Evaluation process.
  • Understanding of legislative requirements for schools (including Section 24 of the Education Act 1998).
  • Ability to support whole-school improvement.
  • Capacity to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Excellent interpersonal, communication, facilitation and presentation skills.
  • Capacity to work in specific and generic areas of support.
  • Ability to pro-actively organise and coordinate the work of others.
  • Excellent organisational, management and ICT skills.
  • An enterprising approach to tasks and the capability to undertake the innovative and challenging elements of the work.
  • Flexibility to meet the needs of the organisation, including a willingness to engage in travel and/or evening work as necessary.

Experience of teaching through the medium of Irish and fluency in the language will be an advantage for this posts.

4. Location

  • Successful candidates will be seconded to Dublin West Education Centre and will report to the PDST management team.
  • It will not be a requirement that the advisor be based in Dublin West Education Centre. S/he will however, be expected to travel there and elsewhere as necessary.
  • Successful candidates will be required to have their own means of transport and to possess and retain a full driving licence.
  • Public service travel and subsistence rates will apply and will be calculated from your local designated Education Centre, or home, as appropriate.

5. Competition

  • Secondment to the team will be effective as soon as possible. Candidates must be eligible for full-time secondment as per post-primarycircular 0107/2006*. The person appointed will be seconded for an initial period of one school year, subject to satisfactory completion of a 3 month probationary period, with a possibility of further extensions available in line with DES regulations for secondments.
  • Each appointment is subject to the sanction of the Department of Education and Skills.
  • The secondment contract will provide for on-going performance review.
  • Health, sick leave and general work record must be satisfactory.

* If you are unsure as to your eligibility for secondment, please contact Paul McClearn in the Department of Education and Skills (090 6484227) or email

6. Salary

The salary for an advisor is in accordance with Category 4 as provided for by the 2003 Arbitration Award in respect of teachers on secondment, subject to the conditions outlined below. Remuneration is at all times subject to the relevant DES or Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regulations.

An advisor is entitled to all of the following:

  • her/his relevant point on the Teachers’ Common Basic Scale, plus
  • an honours primary degree allowance
  • an honours Higher Diploma in Education allowance
  • the standard Category 4 secondment allowance, which is pensionable (see table below)

Seconded Category / PDST Position / Teachers’ Common Basic Scale / Honours Degree Allowance / Honours H.D.E Allowance / Standard Secondment Allowance
4 / Advisor / As Applicable / €4,918 pa
@1/1/2010 / €1,236 pa
@ 1/1/2010 / €10,130 pa
@ 1/1/2010

Note: Circular 004/2011 refers

For teachers newly appointed to their teaching post since 01/01/2011 a 10% reduction applies to these allowances as per circular 004/2011.

Seconded Category / PDST Position / Teachers’ Common Basic Scale / Honours Degree Allowance / Honours H.D.E Allowance / Standard Secondment Allowance
4 / Advisor / As Applicable / €4,426 pa
@1/1/2011 / €1,112 pa
@ 1/1/2011 / €9,117 pa
@ 1/1/2011

Note: Circular 004/2011 refers

Post of responsibility allowances will not be payable to seconded personnel who are in receipt of the above secondment allowances.

7. Selection Procedure

Selection will be by way of competitive interview. Shortlisting may apply. Applications should be made by submission of a completed application form. This should be submitted in electronic format by 5pm on Tuesday 2nd Decemberto Note that three signed hard copies must also be submitted by 5pm on Tuesday 2nd December to:

Áine Duffy, Administrator, Professional Development Service for Teachers

14 Joyce Way, Park West Business Park, Nangor Road, Dublin 12.

Telephone: 01 – 4358578

  • Late applications will not be considered.
  • A selection committee will be established to carry out all aspects of the selection process.
  • It is the responsibility of the candidates to make themselves available for interview, if invited to attend. Candidates should note that it may not be possible to provide an alternative date.
  • Those called for interview will be asked to make a 5 minute presentation to the interview panel focusing on the applicant’s vision for the position and the contribution s/he could make to professional development with the PDST.
  • A panel may be formed from which future vacancies at advisor level may be filled.

8. Release from Present Post

  • It is a matter for successful candidates to secure the agreement of their school authorities for release to take up a post for the period concerned.
  • Successful candidates will be expected to be available to take up appointment as soon as possible
  • Commitment of release from your employer will be required. On receipt of an offer the successful candidate will be asked to seek immediate confirmation from his/her employer (e.g. Chairperson of the Board of Management). This signed statement should indicate that the employer (e.g. Chairperson of the Board of Management) is in a position to release the successful applicant.