Academic & Engagement Tutor – Extended Learning at Southern Education Trust

Dorset Council UK; Wareham; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

Academic & Engagement Tutor, Extended Learning, Dorset Council, is a permanent, full-time role on the Teacher’s Main Pay Scale (£34,069 - £46,940 per annum). You’ll work across Poole, Bovington, Wareham, Dorchester, Blandford and Weymouth, meeting students where they are—at home or in the community—and helping them take first steps back to learning.

This isn’t traditional teaching; you’ll build trust, adapt plans on the fly and support English and Maths recovery, with travel across your

Qualifications

• This role requires QTS or proven tutoring/teaching experience.
• Experience supporting young people with SEND, SEMH or additional needs.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Plan, prepare and deliver personalised 1:1 sessions balancing academic learning and emotional engagement.
• Support students to reconnect with education at their own pace and build confidence.
• Develop knowledge and interests through GCSE/Functional Skills in English and Maths.
• Monitor progress and maintain accurate records; prioritise safeguarding.

Skills

QTS

Tutoring experience

SEND/SEMH support

Patience

Independent work

Community work

Resilience

Education

QTS

Job description

Academic & Engagement Tutor - Extended Learning

Permanent. Full-time. Teacher’s Main Pay Scale - £34,069 - £46,940 per annum.

Community-based across Poole, Bovington, Wareham, Dorchester, Blandford and Weymouth. Area assigned depending on where you live and the needs of the service. Regular travel is required.

Full driving licence, business insurance and access to a vehicle essential.

Not a typical teaching role. A different kind of impact. When school isn’t an option, you become the starting point.

At Extended Learning, we work with young people who are currently unable to access education in the traditional way. For many, school feels overwhelming, out of reach, or no longer safe.

This is where you come in.

As an Academic & Engagement Tutor, you’ll meet students where they are, at home or in the community, and help them take their first steps back towards learning, confidence and self-belief.

What Makes This Different

This isn’t a traditional tutoring or classroom-based teaching role. You won’t always be delivering structured lessons. You won’t always see immediate academic progress. Some sessions won’t look like \"teaching\" at all.

Some Days You’ll Be

• Sitting in a living room building trust


• Taking a short walk just to get a student out of the house


• Adapting your entire plan in the moment


• Encouraging engagement when motivation is low

Because before learning can happen, connection has to come first. Progress can be slow. Trust can take time. But then:

• A student who hasn’t engaged for months opens the door.


• A young person who rarely speaks starts a conversation.


• A learner who thought education wasn’t for them begins to believe differently.


• Those moments don’t always show up in data or reports. But they’re often where everything changes.

The role

You’ll plan, prepare and deliver personalised 1:1 sessions that balance academic learning and emotional engagement, supporting students to:

• Reconnect with education at their own pace


• Build confidence and self-esteem


• Develop knowledge, understanding and interests through AQA Awards


• Make progress in English and Maths (Functional Skills and GCSE)


• Develop routines, resilience and positive learning habits


• Transition back into school, college or their next destination

You’ll Also

• Work closely with families and carers


• Adapt strategies to overcome barriers to engagement


• Monitor progress and maintain accurate records


• Prioritise safeguarding and student wellbeing at all times

Who This Role Suits

You’ll thrive in this role if you are:

• Patient, flexible and emotionally resilient


• Comfortable working independently in community settings


• Able to build trust with young people who may be disengaged, anxious or vulnerable


• Creative and adaptable in your approach to learning and engagement


• Motivated by small steps and long-term impact rather than quick wins

You’ll Need

• QTS or strong tutoring/teaching experience


• Experience supporting young people with SEND, SEMH or additional needs


• A full UK driving licence, business use insurance and access to a vehicle

This role requires patience, adaptability and resilience. It involves regular travel across your region. Not every session will go to plan. Progress won’t always be immediate.

But by showing up, building trust and staying consistent, you’ll help young people reconnect with learning, rediscover their confidence and begin to believe in themselves again.

When school isn’t an option, you become the starting point.

Closing date: 4th November 2026

Interview date: w/c 11th November 2026

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, this role involves directly working with children and significant contact with children, and therefore we expect all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Please ensure a full work history is completed in your application form including any gaps of employment. Applicants will be required to complete satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check for this post prior to commencement. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The Trust is an equal opportunities employer.

If successfully shortlisted the HR Department will also be conducting an individual online search of your \"name, education and employment\", to demonstrate due diligence following 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' guidance. The search will not form part of the actual shortlisting process and any concerns arising from the search will be discussed directly with you.