Lead Educator Role
What is the National Space Academy?
The National Space Academy is a network of outstanding teachers and project scientists which uses the inspirational context of space to teach physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and occasionally other subjects to 11-19 year old students and their teachers. The Academy’s main purpose is to work towards materially enhancing the size and quality of the UK science and engineering skills pool by raising engagement with and attainment in STEM subjects.
The National Space Academy programme is funded by the National Space Centre, the UK Space Agency, the Lloyds Register Foundation, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the Satellite Applications Catapult, and has further support from the Ogden Trust, PPG Industries and various UK space sector companies. The Head Office for the programme is based at the National Space Centre in Leicester and it is supported by a southern regional office (covering London and the South) located at the STFC funded Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) in Harwell, Oxfordshire.
What programmes does the National Space Academy deliver?
The National Space Academy supports the work of teachers in secondary level education through the delivery of several programmes:
· Student Masterclasses
These can be either one hour or half or day-long curriculum focused sessions using space science contexts for students aged 11-19. Subjects include physics, chemistry, biology, applied science, and mathematics.
Masterclasses can be delivered at the schools which request them and at the National Space Centre or other suitable location. They can be tailored for individual class needs to enable all students to make progress against their own targets and can also be used as focused external examination revision or to support curriculum requirements.
· Teacher CPD sessions
These are intensive training sessions for teachers with a focus on classroom-ready, hands-on activities with strong relevance to the curriculum. Sessions are delivered at the schools that request it, through external partners such as the Science Learning Centre’s Regional Consortia, at ITT provider locations and at the National Space Centre.
· Space Careers Events
These include the four annual Careers Conferences hosted at the National Space Centre, which are currently focused on two distinct audiences in England: Year 10 students with science ability who have yet to make decisions about post-16 courses (June/July), and Year 12 students pursuing STEM AS Levels who have yet to decide what to take on to A Level (November/January). Other events include the Not Just An Astronaut day for year 8 students at Harwell, and various careers talks across the UK
The above are examples of how the programme currently runs: the nature of the actual programmes delivered in will evolve to reflect the educational environment and current CPD provision already available in the local area and nationally.
What are National Space Academy Lead Educators?
National Space Academy courses are delivered by the Academy’s Lead Educators: these are outstanding teachers in full time employment who are seconded from their schools to deliver for the National Space Academy. The contract for the secondment of Lead Educators is between the National Space Academy, the Lead Educator, and the Lead Educator’s school.
Funding for a National Space Academy Lead Educator post is paid directly to the teacher’s school at a rate of £1000 for 4 days to be used for supply teacher cover in term-time and payment for holiday period work. Extra funding is available for training for Lead Educators including attendance at the National Space Academy’s annual symposium.
Who is eligible to apply to become a National Space Academy Lead Educator?
The most important criteria are an excellent track record of success in teaching coupled with a real interest in space science.
The ideal candidate will have had some experience teaching at AS/A2 level.
The programme experiences the greatest demand for physics support and thus the majority of National Space Academy Lead Educators are physics teachers. However, applications from chemistry, biology and mathematics teachers will also be invited to support the demand for these subjects.
How would my school benefit by having a National Space Academy Lead Educator post?
· Outstanding development/retention opportunity for excellent STEM teachers
· The opportunity to work with some of the UK’s leading space scientists and engineers and bringing fresh ideas for the teaching of STEM into their own school
· School involvement with a national space education programme as a leading regional centre of education expertise and excellence.
· The Lead Educator role can be used to sustain/create an out-reach type post in a school with a maximum of £4000 per year (the payment for 16 days) from the National Space Academy programme as a contribution.
· The National Space Academy Lead Educator role will create opportunities for supporting teaching and learning in the Lead Educator’s school as well as externally through contractual National Space Academy responsibilities.
How are Space Academy Lead Educators funded and what time commitment is required?
· A set fund is released to the school for successful candidates – all pay arrangements are handled through the school.
· Schools agree to release Lead Educators for a fixed number of days in the academic year at a rate of £1000 for 4 Lead Educator days. Some of these will be in holiday time – for which schools are advised to pay Lead Educators £200 per day from the secondment fee. For the term-time release days, the schools are advised to use the secondment fee to pay cover costs.
· The minimum number of term release days = 5 per academic year (this could include school INSET days)
· Lead Educator contracts with a school are initially for one year and will be extended on a rolling basis year by year.
For an informal discussion of the Lead Educator role or to find out more, please contact:
Mr Andrew McMurray
Head of Teaching and Learning
National Space Academy, National Space Centre, Exploration Drive, Leicester, LE4 5NS
0116 2582141