Principal Teacher (STEM and Numeracy)

About Kibble

Kibble supports children and young people (aged 5-26) who have experienced trauma and adversity through residential care, education and mental health services. For more than 200 years, we’ve put young people first and have built a trusted charity with vital services that strive to transform lives, families and communities.

When starting a new job at Kibble, you’ll become part of a dedicated staff team who make sure children are happy and safe 365 days a year, 24/7. Whether your role is in care, education, or the corporate side, you’ll help give young people a chance at life.

Job Purpose

Through our primary, secondary and tertiary education, we aim to transform lives through learning. By offering the right subject choices, combined with a robust support network, we can inspire children and young people to enjoy learning and encourage them to achieve. Young people are referred to Kibble via local authorities when mainstream education has not been effective in meeting their needs. Many young people have experienced bullying, conflict, truancy, and/or low academic grades. Our aim is to reverse this pattern, providing an inspiring education programme, with supportive teaching, to help pupils achieve positive outcomes, while developing valuable life skills.

Working across all Kibble Education Services, the Principal Teacher (STEM) will provide strategic and curricular leadership for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Numeracy. The postholder will lead the development, implementation and evaluation of coherent STEM curriculum pathways across all Kibble schools and education settings, ensuring high-quality learning, teaching, assessment and accreditation that improve outcomes for children and young people. The postholder will have a specific responsibility for teaching Mathematics, including delivery to BGE and Senior Phase learners as required, alongside leadership of Mathematics and numeracy across the wider STEM remit. The Principal Teacher will support staff across primary, secondary and tertiary provision, contribute to service-wide improvement planning, quality assurance and professional learning, and promote interdisciplinary, practical and enquiry-based learning that develops numeracy, scientific understanding, digital capability, problem-solving, creativity and skills for life and work.

Main Duties

Strategic Leadership of STEM

• Provide strategic leadership for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Numeracy across all Kibble Education Services and education settings.
• Develop, implement and evaluate a coherent Kibble-wide STEM approach aligned with Curriculum for Excellence, National Qualifications, national guidance and Kibble improvement priorities.
• Promote coherent, progressive STEM learning that develops numeracy, scientific enquiry, digital capability, design thinking, creativity, problem-solving, employability and skills for life and work.
• Lead the development of shared expectations, progressive curriculum pathways and consistent standards across all Kibble schools for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Numeracy.
• Contribute to whole-service improvement planning, self-evaluation and reporting in relation to STEM.

Learning, Teaching and Curriculum

• Teach Mathematics to children and young people at BGE and up to National 5 Senior Phase level, including preparation for relevant National Qualifications and other accredited learning, in accordance with identified learner and service needs.
• Model excellent classroom practice and deliver high-quality learning and teaching in Mathematics, while contributing to wider STEM learning as required.
• Support teachers, instructors and classroom support workers to deliver effective STEM learning within subjects and through interdisciplinary contexts.
• Promote inclusive, trauma-informed and differentiated practice that meets the diverse needs of learners, including those with additional support needs.
• Lead the development and delivery of coherent Mathematics and numeracy programmes and contribute to progressive STEM pathways across primary, secondary and tertiary provision.
• Encourage practical, investigative, digital and enquiry-based learning that builds engagement, confidence, curiosity, independence and resilience.

Assessment, Attainment and Intervention

• Lead consistent approaches to assessment, moderation, tracking, monitoring and reporting across STEM subjects and programmes.
• Analyse attainment, assessment and tracking information to identify strengths, gaps and priorities for improvement.
• Plan, coordinate and evaluate targeted support and interventions in numeracy, mathematics, science, technology and digital learning for children and young people who require additional support to engage and achieve.
• Monitor learner progress and the impact of literacy initiatives, reporting findings and recommended actions to Education Management Team.
• Coordinate and deliver relevant Mathematics National Qualifications and support vocational qualifications, wider achievement awards and accreditation opportunities across the STEM portfolio.
• Ensure appropriate progression, breadth, balance and learner choice across the STEM curriculum portfolio.
• Promote safe and effective practice in laboratories, workshops, digital learning and other practical STEM contexts, including appropriate risk assessment, equipment management and compliance with relevant health and safety procedures.
• Support interdisciplinary STEM learning, wider achievement, enterprise, sustainability and preparation for positive destinations in further education, training and employment.
• Lead numeracy across learning and support consistent approaches to developing and applying numeracy and mathematical skills across the curriculum.
• Develop links between STEM learning and vocational education, enterprise, sustainability, further education and employment opportunities.
• Support responsible and effective use of digital technologies, data, practical equipment and specialist learning environments.

Staff Leadership and Professional Learning

• Provide professional leadership, support and appropriate challenge to teachers, instructors and classroom support workers.
• Lead relevant professional learning for staff across all Kibble education settings, including STEM pedagogy, numeracy, digital learning, assessment, moderation and inclusive practice.
• Coach and mentor colleagues to strengthen STEM pedagogy, assessment, moderation, digital capability and inclusive practice.
• Support probationers, early career teachers and colleagues undertaking relevant professional development.
• Advise colleagues on forward planning, record keeping, assessment, resources and effective approaches to STEM and numeracy across learning.

Quality Assurance and Resources

• Lead STEM-focused quality assurance activities, including curriculum audits, learning visits, moderation and evaluation of learner work.
• Use evidence from self-evaluation and quality assurance to identify actions and contribute to improvement planning.
• Develop, review and share high-quality STEM resources and guidance for use across Kibble Education Services.
• Identify resource, accommodation, digital technology and specialist equipment requirements, ensuring that resources are safe, accessible, appropriate, maintained and used effectively.
• Keep informed about research, policy, qualifications, technologies and effective practice across STEM education, and apply relevant developments within Kibble.

Partnership Working and Wider Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with Education Managers, Principal Teachers, teachers, instructors, support staff and multidisciplinary colleagues.
• Promote positive home-school links and support families and carers to contribute to learning, achievement and wellbeing where appropriate.
• Liaise with external agencies, local authorities, awarding bodies, colleges, employers and STEM partners in relation to curriculum development, accreditation, experiences and learner pathways.
• Promote responsible citizenship, positive relationships and high expectations across Kibble Education Services.
• Maintain positive relationships with children and young people, families, colleagues, partner agencies and the wider community.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties commensurate with the grade and responsibilities of the post, as required by the Education Manager and Senior Education Management Team.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Graduate and teaching qualifications recognised by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), with qualifications and registration appropriate to teaching Mathematics up SCQF L5.
• Full registration with GTCS.
• Significant teaching experience and evidence of successful leadership or responsibility within education.
• Demonstrable knowledge and successful teaching experience in Mathematics, together with the ability to lead improvement across the wider STEM remit.
• Experience of leading STEM, numeracy, digital learning, curriculum development, attainment improvement or a related whole-school or service-wide improvement priority.
• Strong understanding of Curriculum for Excellence, National Qualifications, vocational and wider achievement pathways, and current Scottish education policy and guidance relevant to STEM.
• Experience of supporting children and young people with additional support needs.
• Experience of coaching, mentoring and supporting the professional development of colleagues.
• Ability to analyse assessment and attainment information and use evidence to plan and evaluate improvement.
• Excellent communication, organisational and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to motivate, support and appropriately challenge others.
• Ability to manage time, personnel and resources effectively, make decisions and act on own initiative.
• Clear commitment to continuing professional learning, including learning related to STEM leadership, numeracy, digital learning, subject development and additional support needs.

Staff Benefits at Kibble

• Learning continues with opportunities for further training, job variety and funded study
• Healthcare significantly contributes to expenses such as dental treatments, new glasses and contact lenses
• Money off shopping and events from Blue Light Card, Costco and other partners
• Discounts are available for childcare through Puddle Lane children’s nursery
• Immediate access to confidential counselling helps you prioritise self-care
• Teacher Superannuation Fund
• Wellbeing perks continue with Cycle to Work and generous holidays

Safe Crisis Training (SCM)

Successful candidates will require a level of fitness to be able to carry out SCM. Please see note section below (4) for further information.

Notes

• This job outline reflects the main tasks and responsibilities discharged by the post holder at the present time, however, Kibble reserves the right to alter or amend the content of this job outline to reflect changes to the job or services provided, while maintaining the overall character and level of responsibility for the post.
• Notwithstanding any information or statement described within this job outline, all duties must be carried out in a way that promotes equality of opportunity, dignity and respect for all individuals and which is consistent with Kibble’s stated policy on equal opportunities.
• The successful candidate will be subject to PVG Scheme Membership. Having previous convictions will not automatically disbar you from working at Kibble (with the exception of offences against children or other vulnerable groups) and every case is taken on an individual basis
• The successful candidate will be required to undertake Safe Crisis Management (SCM) training and will require a level of fitness to be able to carry out SCM. The successful candidate must be able to participate fully in this training and be prepared to put this training into practice.The SCM training will consist of two days theory and two days physical training. The successful candidate must complete this training in full within four weeks of an agreed start date. Should the candidate for any reason fail any aspect of the SCM training (theory, physical or both parts), an additional two weeks will be given to pass.
• Appointments will be subject to a three-month probationary period.

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