SEND Learning mentors offer support and guidance to children and young people who experience difficulties with their learning.
As a learning mentor working for Protocol Education, you'll work closely with children who are struggling with social, emotional or behavioural problems that impact their ability to learn. You'll work alongside teachers and other staff, figuring out the needs of learners who require help and how to overcome barriers that are preventing them from achieving their full potential.
You'll work with a range of learners, but give priority to those who need the most help, especially those experiencing multiple disadvantages.
You could cover a variety of issues, ranging from punctuality, absence, challenging behaviour and abuse, to working with able and gifted learners who are experiencing difficulties.
You'll be based in alternative education settings (primary and secondary) but will have a broader remit including families and the wider community.
You might work with children or young adults on a one-to-one basis or in small groups.
*** RESPONSIBILITIES ***
Your duties will vary depending on the nature of the job, the level of expertise required and complexity of the work expected.
Some posts require a degree and experience of working with vulnerable and challenging young people. You may be expected to manage your own caseload and plan, deliver and measure interventions to support the young people you work with.
Other posts will require GCSEs in English and maths and you'll be expected to work in a supporting role.
As a learning mentor you'll typically need to:
- Liaise with staff to identify learners who would benefit from mentoring
- Discuss and help decide how identified needs will be addressed
- Implement strategies and support learners in self-esteem and confidence-building activities
- Help learners who are underperforming in their subjects, either on a one-to-one basis outside the classroom or within lessons
- Listen to learners and help them resolve a range of issues that are creating barriers to their learning
- Draw up agreed action plans with learners, outlining the aims of the mentoring, and monitor their progress
- Monitor attendance and punctuality of learners
- Advise parents on behaviour strategies and parenting skills
- Network with other learning mentors, teachers and relevant external agencies and professionals, such as educational psychologists, the police and social services
- Potentially set up breakfast and after-school clubs and run extracurricular activities, such as homework clubs, reading clubs, sports, music and discos, during lunchtimes or as out-of-school activities
- Organise drop-in 'offload' sessions, where learners can discuss particular issues
- Provide group activities such as anger management classes
- Maintain accurate records and prepare written reports and evaluations
- Help to secure funding to support learners' additional educational needs*
- Manage your own professional development through undertaking relevant training and sharing best practice with other learning mentorshelp with transition activities for learners moving to secondary schools or on to further education.
*** QUALIFICATIONS ***
This area of work is open to all graduates and those with an HND. You may find it helpful to have a degree or HND in a national curriculum subject, or one covering some of the issues involved in learning mentoring.
In particular, the following subjects are desirable...
- Early childhood years
- Education
- English
- Maths
- Psychology
- Social science
- Social work.
Entry without a degree or HND is possible, although many entrants have a degree and some have training in a related field such as:
- Education
- Guidance
- Psychology and health
- Youth, community or social work.
You'll need to demonstrate a good standard of general education, particularly in English and maths.
A postgraduate degree isn't necessary for entry, but some learning mentors have professional qualifications.
You'll also need to obtain an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if you're working with young people.
*** SKILLS ****
As a Learning Mentor you'll need to demonstrate:
- Excellent communication and listening skills
- The ability to analyse problems and devise solutions
- Assertiveness in dealing with pupils and fellow professionals
- Determination to see problems and solutions through to the end
- The ability to empathise
- A non-judgemental approach
- Organisation and time management skills
- The ability to relate to young people to build trust so that they can achieve their full potential
- The capacity to motivate and act as a role model
- Negotiation skills
- Flexibility and adaptability, as well as the ability to work well under pressure
- Report writing skills and the ability to maintain accurate records
- A commitment to equality and diversity
- An understanding of confidentiality and the handling of sensitive information
- Knowledge of, and a commitment to, safeguarding in schools.
*** PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ***
Protocol Education can provide full training for candidates dependent upon specific roles.
As a newly appointed learning mentor, you may undertake an induction programme with an educational setting, which aims to ensure all support staff are able to carry out their responsibilities competently and with confidence. You will also be provided information on school policy and procedures, positive behaviour plans and documentation relating to unique scenarios such as procedures around COVID.
Internal and external training may be available in particular areas relevant to the needs of the school, for example:
- Addressing cross-cultural issues
- How to work on anger management with learners
- Supporting learners with special educational needs
- Working with parents and other 3rd parties
- Integrating your role in the school
- Networking
- Teambuilding.
Protocol Education can provide training in areas such as safeguarding, positive behaviour management strategies and specific professional qualifications around SEND.
*** CAREER PROSPECTS ***
You could begin your career as an assistant learning mentor or learning mentor and then progress, through experience, to the role of lead learning mentor or learning mentor coordinator, coordinating the work of a group of learning mentors in a cluster of schools.
With experience it's possible to specialise in working with particular client groups, for example excluded students, students with a particular need, such as Autism, or particular age groups e.g supporting transitions.
You could also undertake further training and qualifications to move into other related professions, such as:
- Careers and advice work
- Counselling
- Social and probation work
- Speech and language therapy
- Teaching
- The voluntary sector and charities
- Youth work, youth offending teams and education welfare.
If you are looking for a chance to gain experience, please call our branch on 0113 246 8220 or send your CV and a short covering letter by way of response to this advert and one of our consultants will arrange a conversation to discuss helping you with your career within Special Education.
All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQs on the Protocol Education website for further details.
All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.
Protocol Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.
We offer FREE online safeguarding and Prevent Duty training to all our workers. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service.
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