SSERC, formally constituted as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and a registered Scottish Charity set up for the benefit of Scottish Education. All 32 Scottish Local Authorities are members of the company. Although in existence since 1965, SSERC was formally incorporated and registered as a charity in 1991. SSERC’s services are complex, highly specific and unique in Scottish education.
Our headquarters are currently in Dunfermline, although our reach is across all parts of Scotland.
SSERC Board of Directors and Trustees
Our Board of Directors comprises elected members from Scottish councils, senior education officers and representatives from The Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, School Leaders Scotland, The Association of Head Teachers and Deputes in Scotland, and the Scottish Parliament. The Board meets on a quarterly basis.
To view the declaration of interest of each Board member – click on the link that follows:
SSERC Board declaration of interest
Click on the Images for details of each member.
Alistair Wylie. Interim Chair
Alistair has a career in education spanning 30 years. He is currently Managing Director of Bell-Wylie Consulting, a multi-disciplinary education consulting company based in Scotland. He was previously Head of Service at the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) where he had responsibility for Technology, Engineering, Construction and Creative subjects covering both the school and vocational areas. In addition, he had responsibility for significant regulated qualifications activity across the rest of the UK market and internationally. He completed his postgraduate teacher training in Business Studies and Economics at Jordanhill College before starting his teaching career in secondary schools. He progressed to teaching in further and higher education for 10 years before joining SQA in 2004 as a National Manager. More recently, he has been based in Abu Dhabi working at federal level as a technical expert supporting qualifications development and quality assurance. He is the board liaison for SSERC’s international development aspirations.
Over the course of 20 years, he has written and published more than 15 educational textbooks for Hodder Gibson. He is a graduate of the University of Strathclyde and the University of Stirling and has an on-going passion for all things related to education, qualifications and assessment. He has a keen professional interest in credential evaluation since first becoming involved with The Association for International Credential Evaluation Professionals (TAICEP) in 2018 when he presented at its international conference. He is currently a member of the Outreach and Engagement Committee and the Conference Planning Committee. He is also a non-executive director on the boards of greenspace scotland and Perth College UHI.
Outside of work, Alistair enjoys keeping fit by cycling and takes an active interest in the educational progress of his nieces and nephews.
Greg Dempster. Vice-Chair of the SSERC Board of Directors
Representing this large group of school leaders, Greg has a keen interest in helping SSERC to ensure that its ever-growing offering to support STEM learning in the sectors covered by AHDS is as strong as it can be.
Greg sits on a wide range of policy groups and boards within Scottish Education including the Education Reform Delivery Board and the Scottish Education Council.
Kathleen Leslie. Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
Kathleen was first elected as a Councillor in Fife in 2017 and represents the Burntisland, Kinghorn & West Kirkcaldy Ward.
Kathleen is a graduate of Stirling, Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt Universities and prior to being elected was a teacher of History and Modern Studies and laterally Additional Support Needs.
As a councillor Kathleen has been her party’s Education Spokesperson and has campaigned for a better Primary 1 deferral policy in Fife. She has a keen interest in attainment and STEM opportunities for girls. Kathleen is a believer in life-long learning and since being a councillor has attended a number of educational events and conferences.
Kathleen is now Convener of Fife Council’s Education Scrutiny Committee and wants to ensure that every young person in Fife realises their full potential through whatever educational setting they are in.
David Maxwell. Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
David Maxwell is an Education Officer within Dumfries & Galloway Council. He has a remit within the quality improvement team, working with a number of schools & clusters, and has responsibility for STEM.
David has worked in Scottish Education for 20 years. Prior to taking up his current post he was Partner Head Teacher of two Early Learning & Childcare Settings and Primary Schools in South Rhins, the most southerly schools in Scotland. Over this time he built partnerships between the two schools and local communities. Previous to this David worked in several primary schools across Dumfries & Galloway.
David has a keen interest in the curriculum and in high quality learning and teaching. He believes in the child at the centre approach, ensuring that the teaching experiences evolve to meet the needs of the child. His educational philosophy ensures that life skills are taught in tandem with core skills of numeracy and literacy. In his schools his youngsters are encouraged to take a lead in their educational experience ensuring that they are fully involved in decision making in the running of their school. David also believes in developing the important partnership with parents, community and local employers. He brings these together in a holistic school approach which provides great benefits for the child and family.
Steven Morrison, Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
Steven has worked in the further education sector since 2014 and is currently Learning and Skills
Manager within the faculty of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment at West LothianCollege.
Steven has had serval roles including work-based assessor, lecturer and internal verifier
before moving in to the post of Learning & Skills manager. Steven has managed the curriculum
areas of Automotive Engineering, Electrical Engineering and the Built Environment.
His mainfocus of curriculum is currently in the Built Environment and modernising to help deliver green
skills and help towards our net zero targets. Steven is also an external verifier for the Scottish
Qualification Authority for automotive engineering qualifications.
Steven has a passion for project-based learning and the benefits that this type of pedagogy
offers to learners while embedding transferable soft skills into practical learning to support the
student progression and learning journey. Steven has a real belief that the way to success is
through partnership working with all stake holders to ensure that all learners are provided with
high quality learning and teaching.
Alistair Wylie – Interim Chair
Greg Dempster – Vice-Chair
Kathleen Leslie – Board Member
David Maxwell – Board Member
Steven Morrison – Board Member
Alan Taylor. Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
Alan Taylor has worked with Perth and Kinross Council since 1996, in a variety of senior roles within three of the service areas: Education and Children’s Services; Housing and Community Care; and Corporate and Democratic Services. Alan has been in the post of Head of Corporate IT and Revenues (Chief Digital Officer) since October 2015. Immediately preceding this he was the Head of Finance and Support within Housing and Community Care.
Prior to this, within Education & Children’s Services for over 15 years, he undertook a number of different roles over the years, with extensive experience leading and managing:
Finance and Devolved School Management;
Education Information Systems and Technology;
Health and Safety; and
Capital Investment in New Schools.
Alan maintains his involvement in education as a member of the SEEMiS Board, which he has been on since 2013.
Alan is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants; with qualifications in programme, risk, project and quality management. He also has a BA (Honours) in Business Studies and a Master of Business Administration degree.
Richard Holme. Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
Richard’s more recent professional background is in school-based education and mainly the primary sector. Prior to working as a class teacher he worked supporting children with ASD and communication support needs within mainstream secondary education. His first degree was a BSc in Food Science and Nutrition and started his professional life in food manufacturing and supply chain management, with multinational companies including Unilever and PepsiCo. He also managed a large European Union funded project supporting workforce development in the food manufacturing sector. Outside of work he is interested in issues relating to the environment and sustainability, acting as a trustee for Tayside Reusers charity. For relaxation he enjoys various sports and outdoor pursuits, including open-water swimming.
Érin McGowan. Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
Érin is an Education Support Officer within Aberdeen City Council. She has a remit within the Building Capacity team and has responsibility for professional learning. Prior to her current role, Érin was a Numeracy and Mathematics Education Support Officer for Dundee, where she was a member of the national Numeracy Hub Champion network and the Scottish Financial Education Forum.
She started her teaching career with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar as a primary teacher, before moving to Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City to continue teaching.
She has a passion for STEM learning; her experiences of STEM learning and teaching in the classroom have corroborated her belief that STEM education is paramount to children and their future.
Érin is a registered Young Stem Leader Tutor Assessor for all levels for Aberdeen City Council.
Stuart Naismith. Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
Stuart is a primary teacher within North Lanarkshire Council, currently based at Gartcosh Primary School. Prior to becoming a teacher, Stuart received a degree in Commercial Music from the University of the West of Scotland, and worked in financial services, before returning to his alma mater to complete the PGDE qualification in Primary Education.
A seemingly innocuous question asked of a lecturer during the PGDE resulted in Stuart being invited to participate in multiple STEM projects, working with researchers from the University of Edinburgh and St. Andrew’s University, and continuing to develop his practice as a leader of STEM education in multiple schools, developing STEM planners, after-school clubs and supporting colleagues.
Most recently, Stuart has branched out into STEM communication on social media under the name of STEM with Mr N, where he showcases STEM activities and explains the processes involved, demonstrates robotics and coding, interviews STEM professionals about their jobs and journey into STEM, as well as a range of interesting STEM facts. Through this, Stuart aims to support and inspire childrens, parents and teachers to explore the wonders of STEM.
In 2022, Stuart was one of the recipients of the Primary Science Teacher Award from the Primary Science Teaching Trust for excellence in primary science education.
Paul Downie. Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
Born and brought up in Glasgow, Paul is currently Faculty Head of Science at Shawlands Academy.
Having benefited from a range of SSERC professional Learning throughout his career, Paul is passionate about STEM and science education.
Paul was named the Royal Society of Biology Teacher of the Year in 2021, an award which recognizes outstanding and inspirational teaching. Following this award, Paul was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology in recognition of the impact that his contribution to science education has had at a local, and national level.
Paul has experience as Lead STEM Officer and Curricular Lead for Science across Glasgow City Council, and has been involved in Education Scotland’s STEM LA Leads Network and the West of Scotland STEM Partnership Group. Paul was part of the Young STEM Leader Programme Steering Group during it’s initial pilot and facilitated young people to attend the youth steering group.
Paul is passionate about the use of digital technology to enhance learning and teaching, and is a member of the Glasgow City Council Digital Learning Team and Digital Strategy Group. Having been previously seconded to the West Partnership Regional Improvement Collaborative, Paul worked alongside senior colleagues in the West Partnership to create West OS. In the midst of a national emergency, responding to a global pandemic, this project was quickly scaled up to provide the recorded element of the National e Learning Offer. Paul is the creator and host of The Higher Biology Podcast, which connects young people with some of the country’s leading experts. The podcast, having developed partnerships with Leckie, Education Scotland and Young Scot is available on all major platforms and listened to globally in 100+ countries.
Paul is happiest spending time with his wife, daughter, family and friends.
Alan Taylor- Board member
Richard Holme – Board Member
Érin McGowan – Board Member
Stuart Naismith – Board Member
Paul Downie – Board Member
Cllr Andrew McGuire, Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
I am now in my 2nd term as a Councillor at West Lothian Council where I have the honour of representing my hometown and being the youngest Councillor on the Council (despite being here for 5 years!).
I have been active in local politics since I was at secondary school and hold a degree in Politics and History from the University of Stirling where I am also currently undertaking a masters degree.
In addition to my council duties I work part time as a Housing Officer for a Housing Association based in Edinburgh and I am very interested in a wide range of policy matters including poverty prevention, housing policy and educational policy.
Although not from a science background myself I am very interested in ensuring schools and educational settings can promote STEM study and careers to ensure the skills we will need as a nation in the future can be achieved.
Sandra Reynolds. Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
Sandra is a newly elected SNP councillor in Inverclyde Council after retiring from her post as a Prescribing Support Pharmacist in GP Practices in Inverclyde HSCP, NHSGGC. She sits on various committees within the council and has a keen interest in STEM education and increasing opportunities for girls and all pupils/students in her home town.
Previously, Sandra was Head of School of Science at James Watt College of Further and Higher Education, Greenock (now West College Scotland). She was a founding member of the Scottish Colleges Biotechnology Consortium (2001-2006) which developed supporting resources for schools, graduates, biotech industry training, online courses and revision of the SQA HN Science units and courses.
She was an SQA Senior External Verifier for HN and SVQ Biological Sciences, External Verifier for NQ, HN and SVQ Pharmacy Services.
She reviewed, levelled, credited and revised the UK National Vocational Standards for COGENT and for SEMTA.
Outside of work Sandra enjoys cycling, walking and swimming as well as helping to look after grandchildren.
Kenny McNeill. Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
Kenny took up the position as Co-Chair of the Association of Directors of Education Scotland (ADES) Personnel Network in 2021. The network comprises membership of local authority representatives from across Scotland and is strategically focussed on influencing and contributing to developing teacher workforce planning and terms and conditions of employment.
A proud employee of Falkirk Council since 1996, Kenny has worked within Children’s Services for 15 years with a wide range of responsibilities such as employee resources, devolved and non-devolved funding for schools, ICT support systems and infrastructure, forward planning, asset management and educational benefits.
Outside work Kenny enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He is a keen hillwalker stepping his way towards completing the 282 Munros.
Kaukab Stewart MSP. Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
Kaukab has a strong interest in STEM education, having been a Primary School Teacher in Glasgow prior to being elected to Parliament. She champions equality or access into STEM education, training and employment, particular for women and girls into STEM. For more information about Kaukab visit Home – Kaukab Stewart
Hilary Phillips, Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
As a business writer and trainer, Hilary worked as a freelancer, then ran her own business, contributing to a plethora of websites, and enabling others to communicate effectively. Over the years her work has included technical writing for a software house, writing about science and writing about technology businesses in Scotland.
At the start of the pandemic she joined YouthLink Scotland, leading on Digital Youth Work and supporting the development of STEM in informal education. YouthLink Scotland has a key role at the heart of the youth work sector and Hilary has been delighted to combine her long-term involvement in youth work as a volunteer with the transferable skills from her work experience, with the belief that youth work can support and enable those young people who feel furthest away from opportunity.
As a parent and foster carer, she has diverse experience of education. Currently a carer (long term) for a neuro-diverse young person she has experience of advocating for their educational needs. She also has three adult birth-children who experienced a mix of state and independent education and all went on to study for degrees in STEM subjects.
Andrew McGuire – Board Member
Sandra Reynolds – Board Member
Kenny McNeill – Board Member
Kaukab Stewart MSP – Board Member
Hilary Phillips – Board Member
Gillian Eaves, Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
Gillian Eaves is an Education Support Officer for STEM and Learning for Sustainability within Fife Council. Gillian also has a remit within the Fife Professional Learning Team, collaborating with schools and practitioners across Fife to support improvements in learning, teaching and assessment.
Gillian’s first degree was a BSc Hons. in Anatomy at the University of Dundee before studying for a PGDE in Secondary Education at the University of Edinburgh.
Gillian has worked for Fife Education and Children’s Services for 15 years, starting her career as a biology and science teacher at Viewforth High School. She has a passion for developing learning and teaching practice, and took a lead role in the delivery of in-house CLPL for all staff at Viewforth for several years before joining the Fife Pedagogy Team in 2019. Gillian has attained GTCS accreditation in practitioner enquiry, supporting teacher learning, coaching and middle leadership to date. In 2021, she was delighted to take on a new role for the Fife Professional Learning Team leading on STEM and Learning for Sustainability, which combines her passions for science and pedagogy. Gillian is a strong advocate for inspiring young people around the opportunities of future STEM pathways and ensuring that these are maximised through a STEM for All -inclusive approach. She is relentless in her ambition for learners in Scotland to develop the necessary skills for learning, life and work that will ensure they secure a flourishing future.
Outside of work, Gillian enjoys spending time with family and friends. She is never far away from the water following her years of competitive club swimming, lifeguarding and swimming teaching.
Although not from a science background myself I am very interested in ensuring schools and educational settings can promote STEM study and careers to ensure the skills we will need as a nation in the future can be achieved.
Gareth Warren, Member of the SSERC Board of Directors
Gillian Eaves – Board Member
Gareth Warren – Board Member
Senior Management Team
The SSERC Senior Management Team has the responsibility for the day today running of the organisation and putting in place the actions required to achieve the vision set for the organisation. They hold specific executive powers delegated to them with and by authority of the SSERC Board of Directors.
To view the declaration of interest, click on: Declaration of Interest extract
Alastair MacGregor
Chief Executive
Ian Woodley
Director of Finance
Chris Lloyd
Head of Advisory Service
Euan Mitchell
Head of Early Years and Primary Education
Graeme Rough
Head of STEM Programmes
Annie McRobbie
SMT Lead: Special Projects
SSERC Governance and Advisory Structures
Click here to download information about SSERC governance and advisory structures.
