Functional Skills Tutor

Dovetail & Slate Ltd; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Dovetail & Slate Ltd in the East Midlands is recruiting a Functional Skills Tutor to join an education provider in a prison setting. You will deliver engaging lessons in functional skills English and/or maths to learners preparing for employment and progression.

You’ll assess starting points, adapt lessons for diverse abilities and maintain records of achievement while upholding a safe, respectful learning environment inside a secure setting.

Qualifications

• A recognised teaching qualification (or willingness to work towards one).
• Experience or strong working knowledge of functional skills English or maths.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• The resilience and adaptability to work within a secure, prison-based environment.
• Enhanced DBS check is desirable.
• HMPPS security vetting may be required.

Responsibilities

• Delivering functional skills English and/or maths qualifications to groups of learners.
• Conducting initial assessments and diagnostics to identify learners’ starting points and needs.
• Planning and adapting lessons to meet a diverse range of abilities and learning styles.
• Monitoring learner progress and maintaining accurate records of achievement.
• Creating a positive, respectful and safe learning environment within a secure setting.

Skills

Teaching qualification

Functional skills English

Functional skills Maths

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Prison environment resilience

Education

Teaching qualification

Job description

Recruitment for education and the public sector

Prison Education From £30,000 per annum Permanent mid Level 30 September 2026

Functional Skills Tutor- HMP the East Midlands

Permanent

Salary: From £30,000 per annum

Are you a passionate Functional Skills tutor looking for a role where your teaching genuinely makes a difference?

About the Role

We are seeking an inspiring Functional Skills Tutor to join an education provider in the justice sector, delivering meaningful learning within a prison education setting. This is a unique opportunity to support learners on their rehabilitation journey, helping them build the skills, confidence and qualifications needed to progress into employment and shape brighter futures.

You’ll deliver engaging and inclusive lessons to learners with a wide range of educational backgrounds, learning needs and abilities. Many of your learners will have had difficult experiences of education, so patience, empathy and a genuine belief in each individual’s potential will matter as much as your subject knowledge.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Delivering functional skills English and/or maths qualifications to groups of learners.
• Conducting initial assessments and diagnostics to identify learners’ starting points and needs.
• Planning and adapting lessons to meet a diverse range of abilities and learning styles.
• Monitoring learner progress and maintaining accurate records of achievement.
• Creating a positive, respectful and safe learning environment within a secure setting.

What We’re Looking For

• A recognised teaching qualification (or willingness to work towards one)
• Experience or a strong working knowledge of functional skills English or maths
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• The resilience and adaptability to work within a secure, prison-based environment

Desirable (but not essential):

• Experience teaching in a justice, offender learning or similar setting
• Familiarity with initial assessment and diagnostic tools

A real person, not an automated email. If we are not the right fit for you we will say so quickly rather than leave you waiting.

• Recognised teaching qualification (or willingness to work towards one)
• Experience or strong working knowledge of functional skills English or maths
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Resilience and adaptability to work within secure prison environment
• Enhanced DBS check
• HMPPS security vetting

Skills & Qualifications

Functional Skills teaching English teaching Maths teaching Initial assessment Diagnostic assessment Differentiation Progress monitoring Record keeping Working with diverse learners Prison education

• Location: the East Midlands
• Sector: Prison Education
• Phase: Prison
• Subject: Functional Skills