Academic Skills Support Mentor
Heart of Worcestershire College
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Heart of Worcestershire College is seeking a part-time Academic Skills Support Mentor to work across its Worcester and Malvern campuses. This role requires a motivated candidate who can support learners with barriers to education.
Salary will range from £16,941.05 to £18,414.27 per annum based on a 30-hour work week. In this position, you will deliver tailored support strategies, facilitate 1:1 and small group learning, monitor progress, and ensure exam access arrangements.
Qualifications
- Experience supporting learning needs on a one to one or classroom basis is essential.
- Knowledge of additional learning needs and learning support strategies required.
- Understanding of safeguarding and confidentiality principles necessary.
Responsibilities
- Identify barriers to learning and provide tailored support strategies.
- Deliver effective 1:1 and small group support.
- Support Exam Access Arrangements and maintain accurate records.
- Act as a key contact for learners and parents.
- Monitor learner progress and outcomes.
Skills
Education
Job description
Job Title Academic Skills Support Mentor Closing Date 28/09/2026 23:59 Pay £16,941.05 - £18,414.27 per annum based on 30 hours x 36 weeks. Starting salary is dependent on experience and qualifications. Hours 30 Hours x 36 Weeks Type Part Time
Please note: HoW College reserves the right to extend the advertising period for this vacancy or close the vacancy early in line with volume of applicants. We would therefore advise interested candidates to apply promptly.
To become an Academic Skills Support Mentor in our Learning Centres department, we need someone who is ambitious, motivated and organised.
The successful candidate will have the chance to acquire new skills and develop their abilities in a wide range of activities.
We have a variety of students from the surrounding area, we are a welcoming and inclusive community that champions diversity and equality across our college.
Our departments collaborate to establish and uphold the inclusive HoW culture, we keep this in mind as we manage interactions with the public, fellow employees, and nearby schools.
Although this position is centred on our Worcester and Malvern campuses, all applicants must be prepared to travel to our other campuses or surrounding areas as required.
To find a more detailed list of your day-to-day responsibilities, please refer to the key roles and accountabilities section on our Job Description. In summary, as someone who has experience of supporting learning needs, you will support in many aspects. To name a few:
- Identify barriers to learning and provide tailored support strategies to help learners succeed.
- Deliver effective 1:1 and small group support, managing a caseload of learners.
- Use assistive technologies and learning tools to support academic development and independence.
- Support the Exam Access Arrangements process, ensuring compliance with JCQ requirements and maintaining accurate records.
- Act as a key contact for learners, parents and carers, providing guidance on support and access arrangements.
- Monitor learner progress and outcomes, working collaboratively
Heart of Worcestershire College, the county's largest further education institution, offers a diverse range of academic, vocational, and community courses throughout its campuses. In all we do, our principles of diversity, integrity, partnership, and trust come through, enabling us to offer timely and knowledgeable services both within and outside of our immediate neighbourhood. By 2030, we also intend to be 90% green!
Our goal is to advance, innovate, and inspire. We're looking for people who want to come along for the journey because our growth will be your growth.
A career with us entails much more than a pay check, because we know our employees are our most valuable resource. You can look forward to the following perks with us.
- Confidential Employee Assistance Programme (available 24/7, 365 days a year); giving access to free confidential counselling
- Regular Continuing Professional Development
- Opportunity to gain further qualifications and enhance professional development through our Awards process
- Generous holiday allowance
- Agile and Flexible working (Dependent upon role)
- Employee discounts & benefits package including high street and travel discounts
- Fantastic progression opportunities
- A mentor to support you in your new role
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Free onsite parking (Certain Campuses only)
- Opportunities of volunteering within local community and charities
WE HIRE PEOPLE.
Every person we hire has a different mix of experiences, cultures, and identities, as well as a unique background and physical make-up. Together, we strengthen HoW.
The College is striving to attract, develop and retain the very best people by offering a motivating and inclusive workplace in which talent is truly recognised.
We want you to know that HoW is an equal opportunity employer as you are probably applying for or considering applying for a job with us if you are reading this. This College expects everyone to share its commitment to promoting and protecting children, young people, and vulnerable adults' welfare and equality of opportunity.
For us, this means that we always work to be as inclusive as possible in all areas of employment and that we will not allow any form of discrimination.
All successful applicants will be required to complete and pay for a Disclosure & Barring Service check. Along with online verification to ensure the safety of our pupils.
For further information on the role, please contact our HR Department on 01527 572592 or hr@howcollege.ac.uk.
If you are viewing this advert on Indeed, Total Jobs or another job board, it is worth noting there is more information about the position on the Heart of Worcestershire website, this will include the role profile.
The purpose of the role is:
- To support College attendance, retention and achievement strategies by providing a high-quality responsive support service targeted at learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LLDD)
- To work in collaboration with the Curriculum Managers, Personal Tutor's and curriculum staff to identify and support learners who would benefit from additional one to one or small group support.
- To provide support for learners who self-refer or are referred by curriculum teams or Personal Tutor's.
- To contribute to the effective delivery of the Exam Access Arrangements (EAA) process by coordinating assessments, gathering and maintaining robust evidence, completing and managing JCQ documentation, liaising with learners, parents/carers and staff, and ensuring that all arrangements are administered, communicated and implemented in accordance with regulatory requirements and agreed timescales.
- To contribute to the identification of barriers to learning for individual learners and provide them with a range of strategies for overcoming the barriers.
- To be confident in demonstrating the use of assistive technologies to support learners.
- Identify, develop and implement innovative approaches to the application of IT and ILT to support academic skills development.
- Provide support via 1:1 or small group sessions dependent on need and manage a caseload of learners from assigned curriculum areas.
- To contribute to the Exam Access Arrangements (EAA) process for learners, ensuring that all required evidence is identified, collected, reviewed and maintained in accordance with current JCQ regulations. This includes liaising with curriculum staff, support teams, exams team and specialist assessors to gather and collate evidence of a learner's normal way of working, completing JCQ Forms 8 and 9, maintaining accurate records, and ensuring all arrangements are implemented and reviewed within the required timescales.
- To act as a key point of contact for learners, parents and carers throughout the access arrangements process, providing clear information and guidance regarding assessment requirements, evidence collection and the application process. This includes communicating the outcomes of applications and assessments, responding to queries, and ensuring that families are fully informed of approved arrangements and any subsequent changes.
- To maintain detailed and auditable records of all access arrangements applications, assessments, evidence and outcomes, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with data protection requirements, and supporting preparation for JCQ inspections and centre audits.
- To provide feedback to students about their progress, enabling them to improve their grades and performance, as well as supporting the further development of their knowledge and understanding.
- To track, monitor and review the attendance and progress learners make as a result of this support and record interactions and outcomes on Pro Monitor, identifying further learning opportunities and review impact of support and setting and reviewing targets.
- Contribute to the evaluation of the academic skills offer including the production of reports and statistics to ensure the offer meets the changing needs of learners.
- To actively publicise support services to all students and staff.
- Maintain an awareness and knowledge of new approaches, technologies and methods leading to effective academic skills support.
- Liaise with colleagues from the Specialist Learning Support team to consult on complex difficulties/disabilities.
- To provide specialist SEN equipment where required for specific needs.
- To provide lesson cover as a contingency when needed and to provide ad hoc tutor cover in Learning Centre or classroom.
- To undertake normal desk duties as a contingency when needed within the Learning Centres, including responding to enquiries, circulation of resources and providing support to students in the use of IT, printing/scanning facilities, digital tools and the internet including those undertaking Elements and THRIVE activities.
- To assist in pre-entry activities such as recruitment events, enrolment activities and assessment of support needs.
- To undertake duties as a First Aider.
- To undertake duties as a Fire Marshal.
- To undertake duties as an Exam Invigilator.
- To commit to the safeguarding and promotion of the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults
- To participate in the College's Performance Management Scheme and attend such training events as are necessary to enable him/her to carry out the duties of the job description.
- To continually improve teaching, learning and assessment through proactive CPD and sharing best practice.
- To actively participate in the College's Quality System, including quality improvement strategies and initiatives.
- To undertake such other duties as may be assigned commensurate with the grade and purpose of the post.
- To take reasonable care for the health and safety of him/her and for others affected by his/her work.
- To actively support College Safeguarding, Equality and Diversity policies.
- To operate/conduct all HR tasks and functions within the principles of GDPR.
T his Job Description is current at the date shown below and is a guide to the work you will be required to undertake. In consultation with the post holder, it may be changed from time to time by the College to meet changing circumstances.
The appointment is subject to the Conditions of Service for Business Support Staff.
All successful applicants will undergo the following checks:
- Enhanced DBS
- 2 x References, one of which must be your current or most recent employer
- Qualification validation check
The salary range for this post is from £16,941.05 to £18,414.27 per annum. Your starting salary will be dependent upon your qualifications and experience. Once you have successfully passed your probationary period, your salary will increase within the salary band on an annual incremental basis, until you reach the top of the salary scale.
The hours of work will be based on 30 hours per week, 36 weeks a year.
As this is a term time only appointment you will receive a payment in lieu of holiday, which is in addition to your salary. You will also be paid for any Statutory Bank Holidays and concessionary days which fall within your working week.
The College operates an occupational pension scheme, namely the 'Local Government Pension Scheme'.
All newly appointed staff must serve a 4-month probationary period. During the probationary period you will have to attend the corporate staff induction day, a Teaching and Learning Induction session if you deliver learning and additional mandatory courses on: Equality & Diversity session, Safeguarding Training session, Prevent, GDPR and Health & Safety training session. Failure to attend these will prevent you from successfully completing your probation.
Please note that without 2 satisfactory references being received before the end of the probationary period, new staff will not be able to successfully pass their probationary.
The successful applicant will be based at our Worcester and Malvern campus.
The College will undertake qualification validation by writing to the appropriate educational institute. Only those qualifications which are essential for the post will be followed up.
If you are required to obtain a qualification as a contractual requirement, the College reviews its CPD budget on an annual basis regarding availability of funds,and cannot therefore guarantee that newly appointed staff will receive either part or full funding for the course fees. However, student loan facilities are available.
All staff are required to have a minimum level 2 qualification in both English and Maths. If you are not already in receipt of one or both of these qualifications, you will be expected to obtain it (them) during your employment at the College.
The College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
All newly appointed staff will be required to undertake safeguarding training following their appointment.
Heart of Worcestershire College adheres to the Department of Education's guidance on 'Keeping children safe in Education'. As part of your induction, you will be required to read and understand part 1 of this document.
All successful applicants will be required to complete and pay for a Disclosure & Barring Service check. The costs of this check will be deducted from the applicants first salary payment from the College. The College adheres to the DBS Code of Practice and has policies covering the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders and the Secure Storage, Handling, Use, Retention and Disposal of Disclosures and Disclosure Information. Copies of these are available on request.
The College is committed to the fair treatment of its staff, potential staff or users of its services, regardless of race, gender religion, sexual orientation, responsibilities for dependants, age, physical/mental disability or offending background.
As an organisation we use the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) to assess the suitability of all prospective appointments. We undertake not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure on the basis of conviction or other information revealed.
Applicants/employees are required to declare any pending criminal prosecutions they may have as well as any spent criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings as defined under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. The only exception to this requirement is that applicants/employees do not need to disclose any 'protected' cautions, or convictions as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2013.
Please read the 'Guidance Note to applicants on disclosing information about cautions and convictions in their application' document before you complete your application form.Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of any offences.
All successful applicants will be required to undertake any appropriate training and development as required, including Health and Safety.
HoW College is a Smoke Free environment from the effects of direct/indirect contact with smoking, including using the following:
- Cigarettes
- E-cigarettes
- Vaporisers
- Pipe smoking
- Cigars
- And all other associated smoking products
Candidates with a disability should contact the HR Department before interview if they require any adjustments to be made for the interview and/or selection tests.
A completed application form should be submitted. Curriculum vitae will not be accepted as a substitute.
It would greatly assist the shortlisting panel if the information submitted on your application clearly identifies and demonstrates how your qualities match those listed under the essential requirements on the person specification.
Please remember that it is not sufficient to merely repeat what is in the specification - you must show how you meet each requirement. You must also provide details under 'previous employment' which must include all employment undertaken since leaving full time education.
Completed application forms should be submitted by 28th September 2026 via our website at www.howcollege.ac.uk.
The Interview date for this post is TBC; short-listed candidates will be notified with the details for interview. In view of the high cost of postage, it is not our intention to notify unsuccessful applicants. If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful and accept our thanks for your interest in applying. College reserves the right to withdraw a position before the closing date if the appointment has been arranged or no longer required.
Please be aware that HoW College complies with the current Data Protection Act and is currently developing systems to ensure that we will be fully compliant with GDPR when this comes into force in May 2018. GDPR is a European wide update to the Data Protection Act, with more requirements and stronger enforcement. As such we expect all staff to fully comply with the requirements of these legislation. Failure to do so will lead to formal disciplinary action.
Members of staff will be provided with guidance in relation to GDPR to ensure that full compliance is achieved and maintained within the College.
Further information can be obtained by using the following link:
https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/
Requirements
Attainment (e.g. Qualifications, Experience)
Essential:
- NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification
- Level 2 (at least) qualification in both Maths and English
Desirable:
- Relevant qualification in Learning Support, Education, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), Youth Work, Counselling, Coaching, Mentoring or a related field.
- Knowledge of SEND legislation, the SEND Code of Practice and inclusive learning strategies.
Essential:
- Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to explain processes and outcomes clearly and sensitively to learners, parents/carers and staff.
- Excellent organisational and administrative skills.
Desirable:
No Desirable General Skills
Essential:
- Experience of supporting learning needs on a one to one or classroom basis
- Experience of maintaining accurate learner records and monitoring learner progress against agreed objectives.
- Knowledge of additional learning needs, SEND, learning support strategies and barriers to learning in an educational setting.
- Understanding of safeguarding, confidentiality and learner wellbeing principles.
Desirable:
- Knowledge and understanding of JCQ Access Arrangements regulations.
Essential:
- Ability to prioritise and manage a varied workload, working independently whilst maintaining accuracy and attention to deadlines.
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team while also managing an individual caseload.
Desirable:
No Desirable Disposition/Personal Qualities
Essential:
No Essential General Points
Desirable:
No Desirable General Points
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