National Advisor Health and Wellbeing - secondment opportunity

Published 09/06/2026.  Last updated 29/10/2026

The National Advisor role has an emphasis on improving outcomes for children and young people, through a focus on excellence and equity.

Job title: Education Officer, National Specialist Health and Wellbeing Curriculum

Directorate: National Improvement Directorate

Reports to: Senior Education Officer, Health and Wellbeing

Post duration: 23 month secondment

Grade: C1

The postholder will provide specialist curriculum expertise to support the continued development, refinement and adoption of the health and wellbeing (HWB) curriculum across the 3 to 18 learner journey.

The role will have a particular focus on ensuring coherent progression from the Broad General Education into the Senior Phase, strengthening connections between curriculum, learning, teaching, assessment and qualifications, and supporting implementation across the education system.

The postholder will contribute specialist expertise to ensure the revised HWB curriculum is coherent, future focused and grounded in strong evidence, and that it is effectively adopted across the system.

Closing date

The closing date for this role is 11:59pm on Sunday 8 November 2026.

Apply for this role

To apply for this role please complete the secondment application form and diversity monitoring form.

Please return the completed form to Education Scotland human resources by 8 November 2026.

The sifting for the post will take place mid-November.

Interviews are expected to take place late November.

Application guidance

Please read the secondment application guidance for more information on applying for these roles.

Scotland is progressing through a major programme of education reform following the OECD Review of Curriculum for Excellence (2021). In response, the Scottish Government has established a systematic Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC) to review each curricular area in a planned, evidence‑informed and iterative way.

Curriculum Improvement Cycle

Work collaboratively with colleagues across Education Scotland to ensure a coherent, aligned and high quality approach to all phases of the CIC.

Contribute to the completion of Phase 2 by gathering, analysing and synthesising evidence, research and stakeholder feedback to inform revisions to the HWB curriculum.

Provide targeted support to ELC settings, schools, local authorities and national partners to strengthen curriculum, learning, teaching and assessment across the 3–18 Health and Wellbeing learner journey.

Support practitioners and system leaders to strengthen continuity and progression between the Broad General Education and Senior Phase, including consideration of assessment, pathways and qualifications.

Support the transition into Phase 3 by contributing to the development of sample materials, professional learning, and national guidance to support adoption.

Engage with practitioners, local authorities, national bodies, Qualifications Scotland and other partners to support alignment between the HWB curriculum, Senior Phase pathways, assessment and qualifications.

Contribute to the development of the Senior Phase HWB curriculum, ensuring that future curriculum design builds coherently from the disciplinary knowledge and conceptual progression established through Early to Third Level.

Support early adoption and implementation of the revised curriculum by helping schools and ELC settings consider issues of equity, inclusion and accessibility, ensuring all learners can engage meaningfully with the new approaches during the transition period. 

Contribute to planning for Phase 4, including mobilisation, monitoring and evaluation, ensuring the revised curriculum is effectively embedded and informs future cycles of improvement.

Ongoing improvement support

Work as part of Education Scotland’s National Directorate to ensure alignment between national strategy, curriculum development and professional learning.

Provide targeted support to schools, ELC settings, local authorities and national partners to strengthen curriculum, learning, teaching and assessment through the Health and Wellbeing curriculum.

Support national HWB networks by sharing practice, offering guidance and contributing to high quality professional learning.

Contribute to national events, webinars and in person sessions to build system capacity and support practitioners to engage confidently with the revised curriculum.

Secure continuous improvement

Maintain an up-to-date understanding of national and international developments in curriculum design, learning, teaching and assessment, health and wellbeing and wider education reform.

Record engagement and professional learning activity to support effective reporting at regional, organisational and national levels.

Evaluate the impact of professional learning and related programmes to support continuous improvement.

Undertake additional tasks consistent with the role as required by the organisation.

Qualifications, skills, and experience

The post-holder should be educated to degree level.

Essential criteria

Detailed knowledge and understanding of curriculum design, progression, learning, teaching and assessment within Scottish education.

Substantial knowledge and/or experience of Health and Wellbeing education within one or more sectors of the 3–18 learner journey.

Experience of curriculum development, assessment or qualifications within the Senior Phase, or experience working at a senior level within a national education or qualifications body.

Proven ability to build positive relationships and lead successful engagement with practitioners, stakeholders and partner organisations.

Experience of gathering, analysing and synthesising research, evidence and stakeholder feedback to inform curriculum design and improvement.

A strong track record of leading improvement and managing change within a complex education environment.

Desirable Criteria

Recent experience of teaching, leading or supporting curriculum and assessment within the Senior Phase.

Knowledge of the qualifications landscape and the relationship between curriculum, assessment and qualifications in Scottish secondary education.

Experience of supporting curriculum continuity and progression between the Broad General Education and Senior Phase.

Specialist knowledge or experience within health and wellbeing, including food and health, physical education, physical activity and sport and/or personal and social education.
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National Advisor Health and Wellbeing - secondment opportunity

Published 09/06/2026.  Last updated 29/10/2026

The National Advisor role has an emphasis on improving outcomes for children and young people, through a focus on excellence and equity.

Job title: Education Officer, National Specialist Health and Wellbeing Curriculum

Directorate: National Improvement Directorate

Reports to: Senior Education Officer, Health and Wellbeing

Post duration: 23 month secondment

Grade: C1

The postholder will provide specialist curriculum expertise to support the continued development, refinement and adoption of the health and wellbeing (HWB) curriculum across the 3 to 18 learner journey.

The role will have a particular focus on ensuring coherent progression from the Broad General Education into the Senior Phase, strengthening connections between curriculum, learning, teaching, assessment and qualifications, and supporting implementation across the education system.

The postholder will contribute specialist expertise to ensure the revised HWB curriculum is coherent, future focused and grounded in strong evidence, and that it is effectively adopted across the system.

Closing date

The closing date for this role is 11:59pm on Sunday 8 November 2026.

Apply for this role

To apply for this role please complete the secondment application form and diversity monitoring form.

Please return the completed form to Education Scotland human resources by 8 November 2026.

The sifting for the post will take place mid-November.

Interviews are expected to take place late November.

Application guidance

Please read the secondment application guidance for more information on applying for these roles.

Scotland is progressing through a major programme of education reform following the OECD Review of Curriculum for Excellence (2021). In response, the Scottish Government has established a systematic Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC) to review each curricular area in a planned, evidence‑informed and iterative way.

Curriculum Improvement Cycle

Work collaboratively with colleagues across Education Scotland to ensure a coherent, aligned and high quality approach to all phases of the CIC.

Contribute to the completion of Phase 2 by gathering, analysing and synthesising evidence, research and stakeholder feedback to inform revisions to the HWB curriculum.

Provide targeted support to ELC settings, schools, local authorities and national partners to strengthen curriculum, learning, teaching and assessment across the 3–18 Health and Wellbeing learner journey.

Support practitioners and system leaders to strengthen continuity and progression between the Broad General Education and Senior Phase, including consideration of assessment, pathways and qualifications.

Support the transition into Phase 3 by contributing to the development of sample materials, professional learning, and national guidance to support adoption.

Engage with practitioners, local authorities, national bodies, Qualifications Scotland and other partners to support alignment between the HWB curriculum, Senior Phase pathways, assessment and qualifications.

Contribute to the development of the Senior Phase HWB curriculum, ensuring that future curriculum design builds coherently from the disciplinary knowledge and conceptual progression established through Early to Third Level.

Support early adoption and implementation of the revised curriculum by helping schools and ELC settings consider issues of equity, inclusion and accessibility, ensuring all learners can engage meaningfully with the new approaches during the transition period. 

Contribute to planning for Phase 4, including mobilisation, monitoring and evaluation, ensuring the revised curriculum is effectively embedded and informs future cycles of improvement.

Ongoing improvement support

Work as part of Education Scotland’s National Directorate to ensure alignment between national strategy, curriculum development and professional learning.

Provide targeted support to schools, ELC settings, local authorities and national partners to strengthen curriculum, learning, teaching and assessment through the Health and Wellbeing curriculum.

Support national HWB networks by sharing practice, offering guidance and contributing to high quality professional learning.

Contribute to national events, webinars and in person sessions to build system capacity and support practitioners to engage confidently with the revised curriculum.

Secure continuous improvement

Maintain an up-to-date understanding of national and international developments in curriculum design, learning, teaching and assessment, health and wellbeing and wider education reform.

Record engagement and professional learning activity to support effective reporting at regional, organisational and national levels.

Evaluate the impact of professional learning and related programmes to support continuous improvement.

Undertake additional tasks consistent with the role as required by the organisation.

Qualifications, skills, and experience

The post-holder should be educated to degree level.

Essential criteria

Detailed knowledge and understanding of curriculum design, progression, learning, teaching and assessment within Scottish education.

Substantial knowledge and/or experience of Health and Wellbeing education within one or more sectors of the 3–18 learner journey.

Experience of curriculum development, assessment or qualifications within the Senior Phase, or experience working at a senior level within a national education or qualifications body.

Proven ability to build positive relationships and lead successful engagement with practitioners, stakeholders and partner organisations.

Experience of gathering, analysing and synthesising research, evidence and stakeholder feedback to inform curriculum design and improvement.

A strong track record of leading improvement and managing change within a complex education environment.

Desirable Criteria

Recent experience of teaching, leading or supporting curriculum and assessment within the Senior Phase.

Knowledge of the qualifications landscape and the relationship between curriculum, assessment and qualifications in Scottish secondary education.

Experience of supporting curriculum continuity and progression between the Broad General Education and Senior Phase.

Specialist knowledge or experience within health and wellbeing, including food and health, physical education, physical activity and sport and/or personal and social education.
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