Being a co-ordinator in a primary school is and will continue to be a challenge. So much is expected of co-ordinators in terms of, among other things, working to develop policies and schemes of work, supporting colleagues as well as monitoring and evaluating the teaching and learning that is taking place in the subject areas (or frequently the areas) for which they are responsible. The challenge is all the greater because, for the vast majority of co-ordinators, the responsibilities they undertake are in addition to their roles as full-time class teachers. Furthermore, the contribution that co-ordinators make to the running of their schools, the quality and standards of the teaching and learning that occur and the over all effectiveness of their schools has come under closer scrutiny in recent years because of increased accountability.

Thus, taking on the post of co-ordinator can be a daunting task even for experienced teachers, especially when, as is often the case, the area of responsibility is for subjects other than those that formed the major part of their training. It is not uncommon for someone, for example, with a degree in English, to be the co-ordinator for science. This situation in itself provides a particular challenge, which is then added to by the demands arising from other unfamiliar issues relating to leadership and management and the development of the skills needed to meet all the responsibilities of the post. For someone new to the post of co-ordinator there are many questions to be answered, for example:

• Is the policy and scheme of work appropriate and up to date?
  
• Is everyone using the scheme of work effectively?
  
• What changes could the co-ordinator introduce to improve children’s learning throughout the school?
  
• Which colleagues need help and how can they be supported effectively?
  
• In what ways can difficult situations be resolved?
  
• Do the resources need updating and made more accessible?
  
• In what other ways might the subject be developed in the school over the next few years?
  
• What support does the co-ordinator need and how might it be provided?
  
• How can everything be fitted in?

There are two assumptions that are very important:

• The aim of effective curriculum leadership and co-ordination, regardless of subject area, is to provide the best possible learning opportunities for the children in a school at any given time.

• The post of co-ordinator is a rapidly evolving complex one which requires extending professional and personal development into new areas, in particular those of leadership and management.

The changing nature of the post of co-ordinator and the increasing demands on those who are trying to implement it require a more proactive stance than perhaps has been recognized previously and this is better reflected in the term ‘subject leader’.

Hence, I am going to examine the post of subject leaders in primary schools in the light of the four key areas.

• Strategic direction and development
• Teaching and learning
• Leading and managing staff
• Efficient and effective deployment of staff and resources.
  

B. Educ (Hons)