Meet Siân Coathup, your Regional Support Officer
Our new Skills Suite and Personal Project qualifications will be ready for first teaching in September 2027.
Meet the team that will be here to support you every step of the way in delivering these exciting new qualifications:
Can you tell us a little about your role and background?
“My name is Siân Coathup and I am a Regional Support Officer for centres in Wales. Prior to this role, I worked for 20 years in Welsh secondary education as an Assistant Headteacher, Head of Sixth Form, Science teacher, and Welsh Baccalaureate Coordinator in a school in North Wales.”
What led you to your current role at WJEC?
“I wanted to stay in the education sector but felt ready for a new challenge. Having introduced the Welsh Baccalaureate qualification into our curriculum at Key Stage 4 and sixth form, I was aware that the qualification was being delivered in more schools and colleges. The role felt like a perfect fit.
It allows me to continue working closely with teaching colleagues and to remain directly involved in maintaining a challenging and exciting learning experience for pupils, but in a new capacity.”
What does your role involve on a day-to-day basis?
“Alongside three colleagues, I support teachers with the delivery and assessment of the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales qualification and the National Foundation Skills Challenge Certificate. Going forward, we’ll be supporting delivery of the new Skills Suite and Personal Project qualifications.
We work alongside qualification managers to support Professional Learning events, create resources, meet with external organisations to inform qualification development, train centres on new initiatives, and attend consortia network meetings. We are also in a unique position to gather feedback from stakeholders and share this with the wider team.”
What does a typical day look like?
“Days can take on a wide and varied format, but often involve responding to emails and phone calls from centres with immediate questions, training centres on assessment, contributing to resource creation, meeting with coordinators and teachers, and developing updates for consortia network meetings. No day is ever the same.”
What do you enjoy most about your role?
“The most fulfilling part of my role is when I can take an unsure coordinator through our materials and resources and they come away understanding what is needed. When they leave our meeting with a smile, it is a great feeling.
With the introduction of the new Skills Suite qualifications in 2027, we have a busy and exciting time ahead, and I’m really looking forward to supporting centres with their planning and delivery.”
Anything else you’d like to add?
“Without doubt, the best thing about working for WJEC is that, despite no longer being in the classroom, I work with colleagues who still put what is best for learners at the centre of all decisions they make. Being able to contribute to the development of the Curriculum for Wales has also been an exciting opportunity.”