The Role of Lead Practitioners
School Support Plan for Delivering the Revised GCSE Specifications: 2016-2017
The Role of Lead Practitioners
Introduction:
Welsh Government has provided funding to GwE for 2016-17 to support schools to prepare for the delivery of the revised GCSE specifications for first teaching in September 2016 and September 2017, and also to fund ‘’residual’ support for Welsh First Language, English Language and Mathematics GCSEs introduced in September 2015.
Many revised GCSE qualifications will be introduced for first teaching in September 2016 and September 2017. The changes required to teach these specifications are substantial, especially in particular subjects, and the preparation time for many subjects is very limited.
Timetable for Introduction of Revised GCSE Qualifications:
A significant element of GwE’s support plan for schools is to establish a ‘Lead Practitioners’ system for each subject across the Region in order to:
- to provide schools with the appropriate support for delivering the revised GCSE specifications successfully
- to establish a sustainable ‘self-improving’ and ‘self-supporting’ system amongst schools
whilst also ensuring that support and guidance for schools continues at the end of the grant period, and that this support and guidance is provided by the schools themselves.
‘Lead Practitioners’ System:
For each subject, GwE has appointed 3 ‘Lead Practitioners’ – one for each Hub (Gwynedd/Môn, Conwy/Denbighshire, Flintshire/Wrexham), in addition, one of the three has been appointed as Regional ‘Lead Practitioner’ to coordinate support across the Region. Each ‘Lead Practitioner’ will be released for a specified number of days to undertake the work:
‘Lead Practitioners’ Role:
1. Regional Lead Practitioner: The role of the Regional Lead Practitioner will involve the following:
- collaborate with the GwE subject/GCSE Challenge Adviser to ensure that schools receive appropriate support to implement the revised GCSE specifications
- act as GwE’s point of contact with the other Consortia (ERW / CSC / EAS) and WJEC
- co-ordinate the work of the two Hub Lead Practitioners to ensure consistency across the Region
- be the point of contact for the schools of the two Authorities within their Hub
2. Hub Lead Practitioner: The role of the Hub Lead Practitioner will involve the following:
- liase with the Regional Lead Practitioner to ensure consistency across the Region
- be the point of contact for the schools of the two Authorities within their Hub
It is envisaged that the work of the Lead Practitioners within their Hubs will include:
- analyse revised specifications and compare with current specifications to identify changes / areas of concern
- review assessment materials
- set up, organise and administer termly ‘Heads of Subject’ meetings within their LA /Hub (where they do not yet currently exist). The focus of these meetings should be the new GCSE specifications and what support is required to ensure the successful implementation of the revised specifications.
- To identify and respond to the support required by schools
- respond to and support schools which request additional support in the implementation of the new specifications
- create resources /materials (if required) to support schools (any resources/materials developed will need to be available in both Welsh and English)
- arrange / organise INSET for identified aspects
- attend meetings with the other two subject Lead Practitioners and/or GwE to share developments and to ensure consistency across the Region
