Primary School Curriculum Assessment Lead-STEM Subjects - SPARK Schools - 2024
SPARK Schools, South Africa
Job Description
SPARK Schools is a social impact disruptor and is leading change in the education space through its network of affordable private schools. The SPARK Schools network provides transformational education innovation through Africa’s first blended learning model, which elevates scholar achievement and provides the tools teachers need to serve their students effectively.
The blended learning model, which combines classroom teaching and online instruction, allows teachers to anticipate scholar needs and equips schools to provide personalised education at an affordable cost. SPARK Schools is pioneering this transformative education model to ensure the accessibility of university and careers for all.
SPARK Schools is a high growth, mission and values-driven entrepreneurial organisation, operating 21 primary schools and 5 high schools and serving over 15,500 families in 2024. We are looking for dynamic people to join our team.
Requirements
Purpose of Role:
The Curriculum and Assessment Lead - STEM drives scholar achievement in the SPARK Schools network by ensuring that our curriculum is engaging and rigorous and that our assessment accurately measures scholar progress toward each individual's achievement goals. The Curriculum and Assessment Lead’s leadership in the SPARK Schools network is integral to the SPARK Schools mission to create systemic change in South African education.
Reports to:
Curriculum and Assessment Manager - Primary School
Responsibilities:
Primary Subject: STEM (Primary R - 7)
Secondary Subjects/Areas: Social Sciences, Social and Emotional Literacy, Physical Education
- Monitors, refines, and implements the curriculum and assessment model at SPARK Schools.
- Designs and/or supplements a rigorous network-wide curriculum that aligns to and extends
the South African national curriculum, including comprehensive assessments for all grades and all subjects. - Plans and supports pre-service and in-service professional development for school leaders and educators on curriculum, culture, and community-building.
- Helps instructional coaches and educators to develop instructional strategies and intervention programs that elevate achievement among struggling students.
- Integrates curricular support with strategies for scholar social-emotional development.
- Aligns the academic curriculum with national government standards, SPARK’s best practice, and international expectations and benchmarks.
- Documents and communicates scope and sequence of curriculum for each grade level and subject, in conjunction with internal assessments.
- Demonstrates a relentless commitment to scholar achievement.
- Facilitates a network-wide assessment and data analysis cycle that allows school leaders
to analyse scholar performance and identify areas for school-wide targeted instruction. - Seeks opportunities to integrate online data with classroom assessment data to create a richer understanding of scholar progress through blended learning.
- Generates and manages internal assessment schedules, logistics, and reporting.
- Monitors grade-level and phase-specific progress against scope and sequence maps and assessments, using data analysis.
- Clearly communicates network-wide and school data to school leaders, in order to ensure accurate interpretation of scholar progress.
- Evaluates, approves, and coordinates the purchase of curricular materials, such as textbooks and manipulatives.
- Research new and innovative curriculum practices.
- Participates, where relevant, in staff recruitment.
- Meets professional obligations through efficient work habits, such as meeting deadlines, honouring schedules, coordinating resources and meetings in an effective and timely manner, and demonstrating respect for others.
- Participates in and drives own professional development.
- Conducts themselves in a professional manner at all SPARK Schools Support and SPARK Schools events and to all stakeholders.
- Nurtures a high-achieving work environment where staff feel genuinely valued and supported.
Promotes the vision and mission of SPARK Schools Support to SPARK Schools Support staff and SPARK Schools staff, scholars, families, and the greater community.
Qualifications and Criteria:
The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and criteria:
- Bachelor's degree required, with majors in STEM subjects will be an advantage.
- At least 5 years experience teaching Maths or STEM subjects in the Intersen Phase.
- Experience (one to three years) formally coaching teachers/ professional development of teachers.
- Experience in curriculum developmen