Job Description

Learning Support Mentor

Fixed Term, Full time, Term Time

From 21 August 2025 to 31 August 2027 with possible extension beyond

37 hours a week

21,277 p.a. pro rata (Support Staff Pay Spine Point 7 FTE 24,953)

Rising to 21,598 p.a. pro-rata (Support Staff Pay Spine Point 8 FTE 25,330) after successful probation, with subsequent annual increments up to Point 10 (FTE 26,666).

*This contract would be term-time only (where employees work 39 weeks) plus 2 days. Additional weeks are paid for holidays. The annual pro-rata salary is divided by 12 months so that employees receive the same salary payment each month.

Due to growth in student numbers, an exciting opportunity has arisen for a Learning Support Mentor to join the Study Skills team to provide support to students with a range of learning needs. You will support a wide range of students to access their chosen A-level courses through one-to-one mentoring, signposting to resources, and occasionally in-class support. A positive and flexible approach will be a valuable asset in this role. As a valued member of the team you will be supported by our specialist expertise in the field of student support.

Recently rated 'outstanding' again, Hills Road Sixth Form College continues to enjoy a strong national reputation for excellence in education. In part, this is because we continually review and refine our practice to enhance the experiences of our students and staff. We also appreciate that academic success requires a happy, healthy and caring community, and our coaching culture ensures that the wellbeing of our students and staff is at the heart of all we do.

We offer a wide range of competitive benefits including a generous pension scheme, free use of the College sporting facilities, free on-site parking, cycle to work scheme, as well as discounts on all our Adult Education courses.

Closing date:

Monday, 9 June 2025 at 9.00am

Interviews:

Wednesday, 18 June 2025

Details and an application form for the above post may be obtained from our website www.hillsroad.ac.uk

The College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its students and staff and expects all members of the College community, volunteers and visitors to share this commitment. The College actively promotes equality and diversity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

The Post

The successful applicant for the post of Learning Support Mentor will work within the friendly Study Skills team. The post holder will be used to working with young people and enjoy the variety that comes with this type of role. The job involves meeting with students 1-1 or in small groups to build their study skills and confidence and may occasionally include working in classrooms and labs to support named students. Strong interpersonal skills to liaise effectively with students and teaching staff are important, as are confident IT skills. The post holder will also support the students in non-teaching times to facilitate independent work. They will be expected to maintain records and assist the student to organise their workload. The successful candidate will be well organised, able to remain calm under pressure and enjoy working as part of a team. The post is line managed by the Director of SEND and is part of a team of teachers and learning mentors.

This role presents an opportunity to utilise mentoring skills in meeting the holistic support of students' particular needs. Offering exclusively advanced level courses, Hills Road presents new challenges to all students transferring from school environments and then on to Higher Education and the world of work and the Study Skills Centre is at the heart of supporting successful transition.

The successful candidate will possess a real empathy for students in this key educational phase. Previous experience in an educational environment would be desirable, but more important will be an understanding of sixteen- to nineteen-year-olds and a genuine desire to support them through this significant transition stage.

Based on the ground floor of the brand new, purpose-built Study Centre, the Study Skills team offers help and advice to students who want academic support. Each year, almost one in four college students seeks help from the team for a wide range of support needs. The Study Skills team responds to these needs with warmth, creativity and flexibility and, as a team, creates a very enjoyable environment in which to work.?

The three key areas of work:

Meeting learning needs - offering students a range of strategies to help them manage their learning more effectively, coaching them through a target setting process to help them take responsibility for their progress. These needs may include time management, organisation, literacy, and note taking, and use of assistive technology.

Providing examination support - the team works closely with the examinations office to provide access arrangements, facilitate assessments and to cover particular needs at examination time including acting as scribes, readers and prompts.

Facilitating physical access - helping students with physical and sensory needs to have equal opportunities to take part in every aspect of College life, including access to all their curriculum requirements. There may be the need to adapt material into large print for a visually impaired student, for example, or provide a lesson transcript for a hearing-impaired student. When we have students with restricted physical mobility in a cohort, they may require personal care support.

I do hope that it is a post for which you will consider applying. If you have any queries about the position, then I would be more than happy to hear from you. Please contact me by email at vwilliamson@hillsroad.ac.uk.

Learning Support Mentor

Purpose: To provide 1:1 and group support to designated students

Reports to: The Director of SEND

Main Accountabilities:

To work 1-1 and in small groups with students to support their progress with skills such as organisation, motivation, and managing long pieces of coursework To be a supportive mentor and motivator in helping students cope with academic study To assist in face-to-face lessons where required, liaising with subject teachers and helping students organise their learning materials; including taking notes in lessons. To be able to act as a scribe, reader and/or invigilator in exams To adapt materials, where appropriate, to suit the student's learning needs within the overall aim of enabling greater learner independence To assist in practical lessons to enable the student full access to the curriculum To clarify homework and help with time management To help ensure the safe access to all parts of the site for students with particular physical needs To provide assistance with personal care, when we have students on roll requiring this
Accountabilities that relate to all staff at the College

demonstrate behaviour and values consistent with the person specification for this role promote equality of opportunity in accordance with the College's Equality and Diversity Statement To comply with all College policies and procedures. This includes those where each member of staff has an individual duty to act and for which the College can be held vicariously responsible for the actions of its employees: equality and diversity safeguarding the welfare of young people health and safety
Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract

Pay: 21,277.00 per year

Benefits:

Additional leave Bereavement leave Canteen Casual dress Company events Company pension Cycle to work scheme Enhanced maternity leave Enhanced paternity leave Free flu jabs Free parking Gym membership Health & wellbeing programme On-site gym On-site parking Sick pay
Schedule:

Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 09/06/2025
Expected start date: 21/08/2025