Published date: 1 September 2021

Last edited date: 1 September 2021

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 2 November 2021, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Education and training services - 80000000

Location of contract

Any region

Value of contract

£335,000

Procurement reference

tender_282849/993365

Published date

1 September 2021

Closing date

2 November 2021

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

1 February 2022

Contract end date

31 January 2024

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (above threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements above the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA), an executive agency of the Department for Education (DfE) is looking to recruit a pool of Inclusion Experts with a range of specialisms to ensure that the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 tests it develops are inclusive and accessible for all.

As part of the process of developing all assessments, STA includes an Inclusion Review to ensure that our test materials are accessible to children with a range of special educational needs, that they are representative of our diverse society and free from stereotypes or any form of bias. The inclusion reviews are carried out by experts with significant knowledge and experience of working with children with a broad range of sensory and learning disabilities, including experts in Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), visual impairments, hearing impairments, dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism, behavioural and language development etc. Expertise is also required in working with pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL). The Representation and Diversity reviewers ensure that the materials show a range of ethnic, religious and social groups in positive and non-stereotypical ways.

The reviewers provide thorough and detailed feedback on the test materials that are in development. Following this feedback, we alter or remove any texts / items that may pose unfair challenges to children with protected characteristics.

STA is looking for individuals or organisations with strong knowledge, expertise and prior experience of working within the field of inclusion and diversity.

The specific fields for which we require specialists include:
- Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
- Behavioural development
- English as an additional language (EAL)
- Hearing impairments (HI)
- Language development and communication (including dyslexia)
- Representation and diversity
- Special Educational Needs and Disabilities - SEND (including physical disabilities)
- Visual impairments (VI)

For the Representation and Diversity review, we would encourage representatives from, or people with a proven track record in advocating for, any:
- ethnicity
- religious groups
- groups with protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act, 2010

More information

Attachments

Additional text

More information
Please email TendersTD.STA@education.gov.uk copying Rashida.akbar@education.gov.uk if you would like more information or have any queries about this procurement.

How to apply
Please follow the instructions provided in the tender documentation. If you have any issues downloading the ITT document, please email TendersTD.STA@education.gov.uk."

About the buyer

Address

Cheylesmore House, 5 Quinton Road
Coventry
CV1 2WT
England

Email

TendersTD.STA@education.gov.uk