The Scottish Schools Education Research Centre (SSERC)

SSERC, formally constituted as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and a registered Scottish Charity set up for the benefit of Scottish Education, is wholly owned by the 32 Scottish Local Authorities.

SSERC offers a broad portfolio of services, principally in support of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) areas of the curriculum and these can be broken down into three main stands of activity:

Provision of Career Long Professional Learning (CLPL) for early years, primary and secondary teachers and school and college technicians
An Advisory Service
Lead coordination role, on behalf of STEM Learning, for STEM Ambassadors in Scotland and wider STEM engagement activities.

Career Long Professional Learning

SSERC works with a range of partners, including the Scottish Government, National STEM Learning Centre, The Primary Science Teaching Trust, and others to deliver a programme of experiential CLPL for early years, primary and secondary teachers, student teachers and technicians focussing on STEM.

SSERC’s CLPL portfolio includes:

Courses for probationer and newly qualified teachers
Subject specific courses for teachers in primary and secondary sectors
Transition courses to promote enhanced interaction between primary and secondary practitioners
The annual Scottish Universities Science School
Health and Safety courses for teachers and technicians
Design and manufacturing courses for technology teachers
Courses targeted at science and technology support staff (many of these courses are levelled and credit-rated by SQA within the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework)
Leadership courses for Curriculum Leaders and Heads of Faculty
The annual SSERC Science and Technology Conference

Advisory Service

SSERC believes that health and safety legislation should not be a barrier to the provision of valuable learning experiences for young people and we offer a range of training courses and guidance materials which discourage bureaucratic and over complex methods of risk management.

SSERC’s range of services includes:

Specialist Health & Safety advice
Access to specialist advisors in Primary Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Technology, Technician Services and Health and Safety
Guidance and compliance advice for Radiological Health & Safety legislation through our Radiation Protection Adviser
Curriculum support materials, Health & Safety advice and resources e.g. exemplar Risk Assessments for both specific subject and whole school activities
Recommendations on equipment and design of specialist accommodation.
Apparatus testing for safety, performance and conformance with standards.

STEM Ambassador Programme Liaison Lead in Scotland

SSERC works in partnership with the three Scottish STEM Ambassador Hubs to ensure a seamless offering to support the education community.

STEM Ambassadors work with young people to bring STEM subjects alive through real life experiences. They are volunteers representing a vast range of STEM-related jobs across the UK. Our Ambassadors include apprentices, zoologists, set designers, climate change scientists, engineers, farmers, geologists, nuclear physicists and architects. They help to open the doors to a world of opportunities and possibilities which come from pursuing STEM subjects and careers. STEM Ambassadors work with young people to bring STEM subjects alive through real life experiences.

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