Learning Mentor & Life Coach

Mentor

1 year fixed Term with a view to be permanent for the right candidate

Scale SO1 Point 23-25

Salary: £29,177 – £29,956 (Pro-rata)

Pro-rata - Term time only Appointment within these Scales will be dependent on experience.

Closing Date:             12^th June 2025 midday

Shortlisting:               13^th June 2025

Interviews:                 19th June 2025

Please send completed application forms to recruitment@hawkswoodgroup.org.uk 

Birkbeck Secondary School PRU is part of the Hawkswood Group, dedicated to providing an excellent education for all our students and servicing the need of our Local Authority and local schools by offering effective interventions and support for often very vulnerable pupils. We support pupils from all secondary schools within Waltham Forest and we have a good record of successful re-integration as an overall group. All provisions within this group are rated, ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Applications are welcomed from dynamic and inspirational professionals, who wish to make a difference by safeguarding, raising standards, and improving the life chances for some of the most vulnerable pupils in Waltham Forest; pupils whose previous educational experience, for whatever reason, has not been wholly positive.

We are interested in candidates who are fully-inclusive in their practice, demonstrate a growth mind-set and have a trauma informed approach. You need to be resilient and flexible enough to work in a pressured school environment.  The successful applicant will demonstrate a strong commitment to the aims, values and ethos of the Hawkswood group and be a committed team player.

Birkbeck Secondary PRU is looking for a Learning Mentor who will: 

• Act as a role model, setting an example of integrity and professionalism and high expectations.
• Facilitate pupils’ learning and development through mentoring, identifying learning and development needs, planning for how these needs will be addressed through mentoring and reviewing the effectiveness of mentoring.
• Be responsive and proactive in dealing with pupils, monitor and track their progress, both social and academic, individually and in groups.
• Liaise closely with all staff in the school by working as part of a team to ensure that everyone understands and supports the strategies being used by the Learning Mentor to develop the pupils’ skills and learning behaviours
• Develop and maintain appropriate contact with the families/carers and other professionals involved to support pupils who have identified needs, keeping them informed about the pupil’s needs and progress, securing positive family or other appropriate external support for the pupil.
• Know and understand their safeguarding responsibilities.
• Enable pupils to develop positive attitudes, effective strategies and confidence in themselves to facilitate a successful return to mainstream.
• Support with the reviewing and monitoring of pupil progress, liaising with schools to facilitate a successful intervention and return to mainstream.
• Help raise standards by delivering interventions and monitoring impact.

If appointed, you will be joining a passionate team committed to changing lives and truly making a difference for all our pupils. 

Experience in an educational setting is essential

The Hawkswood Group is committed to promoting the safeguarding of children. Please note that this position requires as enhanced DBS and safeguarding checks will be carried out prior to appointment.

What we can offer you:

• A new PRU setting within the wider Hawkswood group
• A trauma informed school and a commitment to restorative approaches
• A supportive staff team
• CPD opportunities and a commitment to developing professional practice relating to enhancing teaching and learning. 
• A commitment from Leadership to promote and support innovation.
• Small class sizes
• A supportive team who work together and support each other.
• A well planned curriculum
• Childcare vouchers scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Free eye tests and £50 towards lenses and frames.

As part of KCSIE 2024 all applicants will be subject on on-line searches. Applicants must be able to form and maintain appropriate professional relationships and boundaries with children, young people and other vulnerable adults. Applicants must have the ability to understand the difficulties and pressures associated with caring for children/vulnerable adults and demonstrate appropriate coping mechanisms.

As a thriving and diverse Group, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in The Hawkswood Group’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQI+ people.

The Hawkswood Group is committed to promoting the safeguarding of children. Please note that this position requires as enhanced DBS and safeguarding checks will be carried out prior to appointment.

Please see the JD and person specification.  For further information, call the current Head Teacher, Liz Rattue, on 020 8289 4740, for an informal discussion about the position. Visits are also welcomed.