Additional Learning Support Advisor

Bedford College Group; Dunstable; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days annual leave + Bank holidays

People's Pension

Retail and Leisure Discounts

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

The Bedford College Group is seeking an Additional Learning Support (ALS) Advisor to join our Foundation Learning and ALS department at the Dunstable Kingsway Campus. You will develop tailored SEND support plans, mentor learners, and work with curriculum teams to promote inclusive teaching and student progression.

Key duties include coordinating SEND strategies, conducting observations to drive improvement, and maintaining safeguarding standards while collaborating across campus.

Qualifications

• Level 2 English and maths with a relevant Level 3 qualification (or working towards).
• Knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice and FE provision.
• Experience supporting learners with SEND and collaborating with external agencies.
• Ability to produce reports and support plans while maintaining data protection standards.

Responsibilities

• Develop tailored support plans for learners with SEND.
• Mentor students and conduct progress reviews.
• Advise staff on SEND strategies and promote inclusive teaching.
• Conduct classroom observations to evaluate the effectiveness of support.
• Build relationships, participate in events and uphold safeguarding.

Skills

SEND knowledge

Learner engagement

Communication

Data protection

IT skills

Safeguarding

Team collaboration

Education

Level 2 English & maths

Level 3 qualification

SEND Code of Practice knowledge

Job description

Role: Additional Learning Support (ALS) Advisor

Location: Central Bedfordshire College - Dunstable Kingsway Campus

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £27,717 and £32,515 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays, People's Pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 37 hours per week - 52 weeks per year

Contract Type: Permanent - Full Time

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we're unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About the role

We are currently seeking an ALS Advisor to join our Foundation Learning and Additional Learning Support department at The Bedford College Group.

• Individual Support Planning & SEND Coordination - Develop and share tailored support plans for learners with SEND, ensuring curriculum teams implement effective strategies to support achievement and independence.
• Student Mentoring & Progress Reviews - Provide ongoing mentoring and guidance, carrying out regular reviews to adapt support approaches and promote confidence, engagement and progression.
• Inclusive Practice & Staff Support - Advise and support staff on SEND strategies, promoting inclusive teaching practices and ensuring consistency in support delivery across the College.
• Quality Assurance & Classroom Monitoring - Conduct classroom observations to evaluate the effectiveness of support strategies, informing continuous improvement in teaching, learning and student outcomes.
• Collaboration, Engagement & Professional Practice - Build strong relationships with students and staff, contribute to events and promotion, and uphold safeguarding, EDI, health & safety and CPD standards.

About you

• Qualifications & SEND Knowledge - Level 2 English and maths with a relevant Level 3 qualification (or working towards), supported by knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice and FE provision.
• SEND Support & Learner Engagement - Experience supporting young people with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities, providing one-to-one support and working closely with curriculum teams and external agencies.
• Communication, Reporting & Professional Practice - Strong communication skills across all channels, able to produce professional reports and support plans while maintaining confidentiality and data protection standards.
• Organisation, IT & Collaborative Working - Highly organised with strong IT and administrative skills, able to prioritise workload, meet deadlines and work effectively within diverse teams and environments.
• Professional Values, Flexibility & Safeguarding - Positive, adaptable and learner-focused, committed to safeguarding, inclusion and professional boundaries, with flexibility to work across sites and travel as required.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held

TBC

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values

• Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group

The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students

The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.

Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.