Education and training services

Tender description

The UK is a member of the European Schools (ES) system and signatory to the 1957 ES Convention. ESs provide a free multi-lingual education for children aged 4 to 18 of individuals employed by the EU institutions. Such children (known as Category 1) total around 21 000 although there are a further 5 000 who attend by paying fees. There are around 1 200 UK pupils in the ES system, 900 of whom have Category 1 status. From September 2017 there will be 13 European Schools in 6 countries. The Department for Education (DfE) has a requirement for the provision of 2 Inspectors to assess and maintain the quality of teaching within the ES system and the conduct and performance of UK seconded teachers within it. These Inspectors will also be required to represent UK interests by advising on the curriculum and all pedagogical matters; be responsible for the setting of the English component and quality of the European Baccalaureate examination and represent the DfE at key ES Board meetings. The contractor will provide 2 inspectors, 1 for nursery/primary and 1 for secondary. DfE currently employs 108 teachers to work in the ES system. Inspectors will be required to carry out annual performance related pay assessments; visit the 13 ES to observe teaching for the purpose of renewal of contracts of employment; attend meetings of the Boards of Inspectors and Joint Teaching Committee; attend curriculum working groups and meet with DfE teacher and parent representatives. Also, the secondary inspector will attend curriculum meetings and working groups and be responsible for the quality of the European Baccalaureate examination, the invigilation of the examinations, the fairness of the marking of the papers and the final marks awarded. The contract will start on 1.6.2017 to allow for handover from the current supplier, in sufficient time for the start of work in line with the start of the academic year (1.9.2017). The initial contract term will be 27 months.