Hand on Heart Practitioner (SEMH Specialist Learning Mentor)

Thomas Hickman School, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 9HP

10 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  16 July 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  6 July 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Pastoral, health and welfare
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Fixed term
• Full-time equivalent salary: £29,114.00 - £32,916.00 Annually (FTE) Bucks Pay or Teachers Main Pay Scale - Depending on Qualifications & Experience

Hand on Heart Practitioner (SEMH Specialist Learning Mentor) job summary

We are a happy, two-form entry school with a talented team of staff and thriving, enthusiastic children.

At THS, curiosity hatches, creativity takes flight, and learning soars to a sky of opportunity.

We are all B.I.R.D.S at THS - Brave learners, Independent and Inspirational learners, Resilient and Respectful, Determined and Scholarly.

Could you be one of our BIRDS too?

Job Role: Hand on Heart Practitioner (SEMH Specialist Learning Mentor)

Are you passionate about supporting children’s wellbeing, personal development and academic progress? Are you ready to champion trauma-informed practice and make a lasting impact on pupils with SEMH needs?

We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate Specialist Learning Mentor to join our Owl House Learning, Nurture and Behaviour Hub. This is a newly created, full time role - a fantastic opportunity to shape and embed trauma-informed practice across our vibrant, diverse primary school.

Purpose of the Role

This is a non-classroom-based position focused primarily on mentoring pupils through structured, individualised learning support. Working closely with the Pastoral Lead, teachers, pupils, and families, the postholder will support successful reintegration into mainstream learning, alongside delivering targeted interventions such as lunchtime provision and nurture group sessions.

In this role, you will:

• Deliver nurture interventions and Internal Alternative Provision under our Trauma-Informed Hand on Heart Policy
• Provide non-classroom-based mentoring and structured, individualised learning support
• Lead nurture group sessions and lunchtime provision
• Coordinate reintegration and work closely with the Deputy Head for Pastoral and Inclusion, Pastoral Lead, teachers, and families
• Champion the needs of pupils with SEMH, supporting behaviour, wellbeing and engagement
• Maintain accurate records and uphold safeguarding responsibilities

You Have:

• NVQ Level 3+ in Childcare, Health & Social Care or Education

• Experience working with children and families in a school, social care, or community setting

• Understanding of safeguarding legislation and KCSIE

• Empathy, resilience and strong relational skills

• Deputy DSL training (or willingness to complete)

• Commitment to trauma-informed practice

• Strong communication and record-keeping skills

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

We have:

• A full-time therapist as a Co-Deputy Head works both with the children but also offers supervision to all staff members
• Specialised teachers for Sport, Music, MFL and Computing
• Wonderful children who need great Teachers and TAs
• A rich and diverse parent/carer community who fully support the school
• A Whole School Wellbeing Support package, with access to private mental health support, 24/7 GP support, Counselling, physiotherapy, and an annual nurse-led health screen to name a few elements of this resource

Our Hand on Heart Values

Relationships First - Connection before correction, always

Trauma-Informed - Understanding ACEs shapes everything we do

High Ambition - Every child deserves the very best future - a sky of opportunity

True Partnership - Hand in hand with families, not just for them

Why not arrange a visit: come and visit me, Pippa the Headteacher and the team, find out more about what makes THS a fabulous place to be.

Office Tel: 01296 485683

We are committed to safeguarding children and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

All unspent convictions and conditional cautions.

All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance issued by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

It is an offence to apply for the role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

All shortlisted applicants will be required to complete self-disclosure form prior to interview.

Please note that we complete a search of the online profiles of all candidates invited to interview.

An enhanced DBS and qualifications check will be carried out upon appointment of the successful candidate.

We are a trauma-informed school with our own, bespoke ‘Hand on Heart’ approach to managing behaviour and relationships.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

We are committed to Safeguarding children. All staff and volunteers are expected to share this commitment. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:
­ All unspent convictions and conditional cautions.
­ All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance issued by the Ministry of Justice (in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Thomas Hickman School

• School type: Local authority maintained school, ages 2 to 11
• Education phase: Primary school
• School size: 500 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 2 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Thomas Hickman School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/thomas-hickman-school

Thomas Hickman School is a two-form entry school where 'curiosity hatches, creativity takes flight and learning soars to a sky of opportunity'. We are all B.I.R.D.S at THS – Brave learners, Independent and Inspirational learners, Resilient and Respectful, Determined and Scholarly – could you be one of our BIRDS too?

• We are a trauma-informed school with our own, bespoke ‘Hand on Heart’ approach to managing behaviour and relationships.
• We have a full-time therapist who works both with the children but also offers supervision to all staff members
• We have specialised teachers for Sport, Music, MFL
• We have wonderful children who need great Teachers and TAs
• We have a rich and diverse parent/carer community who fully support the school
• The school have bought into a Whole School Wellbeing Support package, with access to private mental health support, GP support, Counselling, physiotherapy, and an annual nurse-led health screen to name a few elements of this resource

We are committed to safeguarding children and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. An enhanced DBS and qualifications check will be carried out upon appointment of the successful candidate. In addition, a social media check will be undertaken.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

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