Learning Mentor
Burwell Village College (Primary), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB25 0DU10 days remaining to apply
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
30 October 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
20 October 2026
Job details
Job role
- Teaching assistant
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 1, Key stage 2
Working pattern
- Full time: *NEW POST* Learning Mentor, Level 3, Grade 4 Scale Point: 7-9 Starting Salary: Scale Point 7 Salary: FTE £27,274 – Pro Rata £22,726 pa (Part time hours can be discussed with the right candidate)
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- 27274
What skills and experience we're looking for
- To provide a complementary service to that provided by teachers and pastoral staff in order to address the needs of
pupils, who need help and support to overcome barriers to learning, both inside and outside school, to achieve
their full potential.
- To contribute to raising standards of attainment, improving attendance, reducing exclusions and maintaining good standards of behaviour.
- To offer support to children and families as part of early intervention (targeted support), acting as Lead Professional where appropriate.
Specific responsibilities:
- Working closely with parents, pupils, the SENDCo and class teachers, identify specific pupil needs and strategies to support them
- Communicate with and engage parents/carers, external practitioners and support agencies to achieve positive outcomes for pupils
- Work directly with pupils in a mentoring capacity. Identifying strategies for self-regulation, celebrating their achievements and championing them to other adults including teachers and parents
- Providing support to attend school regularly and on-time, support for homework, reading and other work necessary to keep up with the demands of school
AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY AND KEY TASKS SPECIFIC TO THE ROLE
- Develop positive one to one mentoring relationships with pupils identified as needing support.
- Work collaboratively with teachers, pastoral staff, SENCO, Family Support Services and other external agencies to identify pupils with barriers to learning and at risk of disaffection in order to ensure that these receive support.
- Devise, implement and evaluate individual pupil action plans for pupils identified as needing support, working with teachers and other staff.
- Establish and maintain home/school liaison with the families and carers of pupils receiving support in order to keep them informed about pupil needs and progress, and to secure positive family and carer involvement and support.
- Establish good relations and work closely with other agencies who may also be involved in supporting a targeted pupil - e.g. Behaviour Support, Educational Psychologists, CCT and Voluntary Helpers - so that the needs of the pupil concerned are met in a focused and integrated way.
- Develop a full understanding and knowledge of the range of agencies and activities, which can provide support to vulnerable pupils.
- Act as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, supporting the Headteacher in their role as DSL.
- Provide support for pupils within and outside school hours, e.g. supporting children attend breakfast club or providing after school activities that support mental health and well-being
- Act as Lead Professional for families working with Targeted Support at a level suitable for school and attend meetings regarding LAC and Child Protection when appropriate
Promote the efficient and effective transfer of pupil information at points of transition and support pupils during transition in line with policy and practice.
- Encourage positive attitudes to pupils receiving support and a shared understanding of their needs within the school.
- Liaise and meet regularly with the SENCo to report and discuss progress on specific children and families, taking specific action as agreed
- Attend appropriate CPD and support whole staff training to ensure best practice across the school
- Meet regularly with the Designated Lead for Safeguarding to discuss circumstances that may impact on children’s ability to fully access school life and consider future actions to support individuals and families.
- To support pupils’ integration during identified pressure point, e.g. lunchtimes
- Contribute to professional reports for external agencies and school leaders, where appropriate
PROFESSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
In fulfilling the requirements of the post, the Learning Mentor will demonstrate essential professional characteristics, and in particular will:
- Build and maintain positive and professional relationships with pupils, treating all children consistently, with respect and consideration
- Be positive, friendly, understanding and approachable at all times
- Work collaboratively with colleagues, and build and maintain positive, professional relationships
- Promote positive behaviour patterns, raise self-esteem and improve independent working in pupils to assist their education and growth
- Support the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of pupils
- Promote and support inclusion for all children, including pupils with SEN, EAL and those with a physical disability
- Support learners in identifying issues which are creating barriers to learning and help them in beginning to address these barriers
- Help develop pupils’ confidence and self-esteem through listening to them and devising/identifying appropriate programmes of support
- Communicate with the SLT, class teachers and parents regarding the support in place for pupils and its effectiveness
- Through discussion with class teachers, parents and the SENDCo, as well as through observation and close interaction with identified pupils, develop a deep understand of specific and individual traits, tendencies and behaviours that prevent those pupils from fully and positively engaging in their learning
- Develop specific, tailored, medium and short term support plans for pupils, which address their specific needs
- Support pupils in the classroom, playground, 1:1 setting or small group
- Analyse information from a range of sources to enable tailoring of support strategies to further support pupils’ wellbeing
- Complete Early Help Assessment applications
What the school offers its staff
Burwell Village College is a good school with a growing reputation for providing high-quality education in a structured environment. We provide children with a high-quality curriculum, a safe and compassionate environment and the skills and knowledge they need to succeed at every stage of their development. As part of our commitment to ensuring that every child succeeds, we have created a Learning Mentor role which is new to the school and will enhance our current well-being offer. The role is intended to target specific pupils who need additional support, to recognise their successes and build long-term learning behaviours that they can apply to later stages of education.
You will be working with pupils on basic reading skills (phonics, word recognition, reading speed, fluency and comprehension). You will provide tailored 1:1 support focusing pupils on what they have achieved well during their lessons and how they can improve their work. You will support children to develop strategies to help them improve their focus in lessons and to celebrate with them as they achieve specific goals. You will support them to develop effective social interactions. Furthermore, there will be work with parents and carers to identify and address barriers to learning including attendance, lack of motivation, self-esteem and improve aspiration.
This is a highly specialised and unique role within school that supports some of our most vulnerable pupils. We need someone who is able to champion these children in school and at home; a person who has the ability to work in difficult situations, challenging parents and children to be better and insisting on the highest standards. We need someone who is flexible with their time and can work creatively within a structured framework. The role may require work earlier in the morning than the start of the school day to support attendance and after school hours to meet with parents and carers. The hours and working patterns can be discussed with you at interview, taking into account your own views of the role.
This is a chance to shape a new role in school and impact positively and directly on the lives of some of our most vulnerable children. We need someone who expects all children to achieve regardless of their background and circumstances. We need someone who truly believes that all children can aspire to be the best and will not accept less.
If you would like to know more about the school, please contact the school office and ask to speak to the Headteacher. We can arrange online conversations, as well as traditional phone calls. We are able to offer visits to the school by prior appointment.
Closing Date for Applications: Wednesday 30th October 2026
Interview Date: Wednesday 4th November 2026
Please visit our website for all related documentation. Please send completed applications along with a covering letter to Mrs. Karen Taylor, School Business Manager. Email: ktaylor@burwellvillage.cambs.sch.uk
Burwell Village College Primary School is committed to the highest standards of safeguarding and implements a rigorous and robust recruitment process that gathers and evaluates child protection-relevant evidence about candidates. All applicants are requested to read the Safeguarding Policy document. All posts are subject to satisfactory completion of an enhanced DBS check and provide evidence of proof of right to work in the UK.
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
This job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Burwell Village College (Primary)
- Organisation type
- Local authority maintained school, ages 4 to 11
- Education phase
- Primary school
- Size
- 374 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- Email address
- ktaylor@burwellvillage.cambs.sch.uk
- Phone number
- 01638613103
We are a good school. In our recent OfSTED inspection our special educational needs provision was praised by inspectors for giving children great opportunities to learn together.
Our goal is to immerse our pupils in our forward-thinking and inspiring learning culture so that each and every one is equipped with the skills, knowledge and experience they need to be active, engaged, confident members of society.
Each child who joins us at Burwell Village College Primary School has their own special mix of interests, personality traits, talents and life experiences that makes them unique.
We value difference. We welcome diversity. We encourage self-expression.
When brought together and shared, explored and understood, this is what helps us all to learn and grow into confident and respectful friends, neighbours and colleagues.
The children here are well-behaved, hard-working and eager to learn. The facilities are fantastic with space and equipment readily available. Parents are keen to support the school.
School location
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