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SSERC

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SSERC (formerly the Scottish Schools Education Research Centre) is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and a registered educational charity in Scotland. Based at the SSERC Campus in Dunfermline, it provides STEM-focused professional learning, advisory services, and engagement programmes for educators across early years, primary, secondary, and technical communities.[3] SSERC is funded by the Scottish Government, all 32 Scottish local authorities, and other national and industry partners.[4][5] SSERC is accredited by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) as a provider of professional learning for teachers.[6]

Scottish Schools Education Research Centre
SSERC
Formation1965
TypeEducational charity
Registration no.SC013740 (Charity)[1]
HeadquartersSSERC Campus, Pitreavie Court, Dunfermline, Scotland
Location
  • Scotland, United Kingdom
Chief Executive
Alastair MacGregor
Chair of the Board of Trustees and Directors
Alistair Wylie (Interim, from January 2023)[2]
Websitewww.sserc.org.uk

History

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SSERC was first established in 1965 as the Scottish Schools Science Equipment Research Centre (SSSERC), following recommendations from a technical sub-committee of the Advisory Committee on Physics (itself formed in 1961) that an organisation to appraise equipment for use in school science lessons would benefit the Scottish education sector.[7][8] Over time, the organisation remit remit expanded to include the issuing of health and safety guidance, provision of professional learning opportunities, and direct STEM engagement.  In 1991, the organisation was formally incorporated as a charity and rebranded itself as 'SSERC' in 2008 to reflect its broader educational role.[9]

Organisation and governance

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SSERC operates as a company limited by guarantee, owned jointly by Scotland’s 32 local authorities. Its Board of Directors and Trustees comprises senior education officers, representatives from local authorities, Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), and education professionals.[10][11] Since 2022 the organisation has awarded honorary fellowships to those within the Scottish eduction community.[12]

SSERC Campus and facilities

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The SSERC Campus is located at Pitreavie Court in Dunfermline and houses specialist training laboratories, a microbiology preparation facility, classrooms, workshops, and administrative offices.[13]

Professional learning

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SSERC is a provider of professional learning to Scottish teachers and technicians through on-site, online, and outreach programmes.[14] The organisation also works with further education colleges to deliver specialist professional learning opportunities, including a blended-learning bee biology and pollinator behaviour courses developed with Newbattle Abbey College.[15] In addition, SSERC operates an accredited centre programme, in the form of a network of colleges that serve as centres accredited to deliver professional learning courses produced by the organisation.[16][17] Its programmes include courses for biology, physics, chemistry, primary teachers, and technical staff.[18][19] A number of SSERC courses have been credit rated on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF), allowing participants to gain formally recognised qualifications.[20][21]

Activities and services

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  • Advisory services: Guidance to Scottish schools on practical STEM delivery, health and safety aspects of practical science and technology education activities, and risk assessment conducting.[22][23] This includes the provision of a radiation protection advisory service for the handling of radioisotopes in school environments.[24]
  • STEM engagement: SSERC runs the STEM Ambassador programme, which supports industry placement schemes, and manages the Young STEM Leader programme.[25] Since 2018, the Young STEM Leader Programme contains both informal awards and awards credit-rated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), with awards aligned to the SCQF Levels 4–7.[26][27][28] The Young STEM Leader Programme underwent a 2022 evaluation led by the University of Stirling, which reported that the initiative successfully developed leadership skills and increased peer-to-peer STEM engagement among participants.[29][30]
  • Education/industry partnerships: SSERC also operates a programme that provides opportunities for teachers and technicians to undertake placements in industry and research organisations. These placements are designed to enhance professional learning, strengthen links between education and the STEM workforce, and support the delivery of contemporary, industry-relevant STEM education in Scottish schools. SSERC has collaborated with organisations such as Ocean Winds and Leidos to facilitate these placements.[31][32]

Publications and research

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Since the 1960s, SSERC has published the SSERC Bulletin series, aimed at educators and technicians in practical science and technology fields.[33] External evaluations of SSERC include a review of the Primary Cluster Programme (PCP), assessed by the University of Glasgow, noting improvements in teacher skills and equity outcomes.[34][35]

References

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  1. ^ "SSERC Limited (SC017884)". Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Alistair Wylie (Vice-Chair) — Greenspace Scotland". Greenspace Scotland. 29 October 2024 [14 February 2023]. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  3. ^ Ekosgen (7 November 2022). "The Structural Barriers to STEM Engagement – Final Report (Year 3)" (PDF). Education Scotland. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Scottish Schools Education Research Centre". University of Dundee. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Supporting Scotland's STEM Education and Culture: Report of the Science and Engineering Education Advisory Group" (PDF). Scottish Government. January 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Professional Learning Providers". General Teaching Council for Scotland. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  7. ^ Scottish Schools Equipment Research Centre (2025). "Practical experiments in school science lessons and science field trips – Written evidence to the Science and Technology Committee". UK Parliament. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Supporting Scotland's STEM Education and Culture: Report of the Science and Engineering Education Advisory Group" (PDF). Scottish Government. January 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  9. ^ "SSERC Limited (SC017884)". Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  10. ^ "SSERC LIMITED – Company number SC131509". Companies House – GOV.UK. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Official Report: Meeting of the Parliament, Thursday 25 January 2024". Scottish Parliament. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Wishaw MSP receives top science award". Daily Record. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Supporting Scotland's STEM Education and Culture: Report of the Science and Engineering Education Advisory Group" (PDF). Scottish Government. January 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  14. ^ "Evaluating the Impact of Professional Learning in STEM: Building a STEM Nation" (PDF). Education Scotland. May 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  15. ^ Newbattle Abbey College (20 July 2025). "Bee Biology and Pollinator Behaviour – College Certificate". Newbattle Abbey College. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  16. ^ STEM strategy for education and training: third annual report. Scottish Government. 5 May 2021. ISBN 9781800049239. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  17. ^ "Safety in Microbiology — Professional Development Course". West College Scotland. 9–11 June 2025. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  18. ^ "SSERC Annual Report 2024" (PDF). SSERC. 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  19. ^ Lowden, Kath; Hall, Stuart; Crawford, Kath; Mitchell, Euan; McErlean, Teresa; Sherrard, Hayley; Daley, Lynn. "The SSERC Primary Cluster Programme in Science and Technology – Impact on teaching and learning" (PDF). Professional Learning. JES18 (Winter 2019/20): 13–18. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Leadership in STEM Education (Accredited Professional Recognition Programme)". General Teaching Council for Scotland. GTC Scotland. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  21. ^ SCQF Partnership (3 October 2022). "Young STEM Leader Programme at Calderglen High School". SCQF Partnership. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  22. ^ Visit to Scottish Schools Education Research Centre (PDF) (Report). Northern Ireland Assembly. 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  23. ^ "SSERC's role in Scottish Physics Education". SUPA. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  24. ^ "Management of Radioactive Sources in Schools – Report by Head of Human Resources" (PDF). Aberdeen City Council – Resources Management Committee. 21 November 2006. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  25. ^ "STEM Ambassadors in Scotland". STEM Ambassadors Scotland. STEM Ambassadors Scotland (hosted by SSERC). Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  26. ^ "SSERC case study – SQA". Scottish Qualifications Authority. 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  27. ^ Koutsafti, Radina (25 May 2023). "Angus primary schools and Esports Scotland launch esports curriculum". Esports Insider. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  28. ^ "Young STEM leaders programme announced". NEN Press. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  29. ^ "Evaluation of the Young STEM Leader Programme". University of Stirling and SSERC. 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  30. ^ Ramjan, C.; Hennessy, A.; Priestley, A. (2022). The Young STEM Leader Programme: Programme Evaluation. SSERC; University of Stirling. Published 30 June 2022; online 5 October 2022.
  31. ^ "Ocean Winds increasing support for STEM". Ocean Winds – News & Articles. Ocean Winds. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  32. ^ "STEM in the United Kingdom – Leidos UK STEM Employee Resource Group". Leidos – UK & Europe. Leidos. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  33. ^ "Written Evidence Submission from the Scottish Schools Education Research Centre (SSERC)" (PDF). Welsh Senedd – Children, Young People and Education Committee. 3 June 2025. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  34. ^ "Evaluation of the SSERC Primary Cluster Programme in Science and Technology". University of Glasgow. 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  35. ^ Catriona Robb; John Cochrane; John Winter (17 June 2025). "Embedding the Sustainable Development Goals into International Students' Professional Practice (Part 1)". University of Strathclyde – Education Blog. University of Strathclyde. Retrieved 19 August 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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