Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) Mentor

Tradewind Recruitment; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

13 weeks paid school holidays

Professional development

Job summary

Tradewind Recruitment is seeking an experienced PRU Behaviour Mentor / Pastoral Support Assistant for a Preston, Lancashire location, starting September 2026. You will support secondary students (11-16) who have been excluded or are at risk of exclusion, applying trauma-informed approaches.

Role runs Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, term-time only (30 to 32.5 hours/week). Full-time long-term placement with potential permanent contracts. Training in de-escalation and safeguarding provided.

Qualifications

• Trauma-informed approach and understanding of SEMH needs.
• Proven ability to de-escalate and manage challenging behaviours.
• Experience supporting disaffected or vulnerable youth in PRU/AP settings.

Responsibilities

• Deliver 1-to-1 and small group mentoring with pastoral guidance.
• Apply de-escalation and crisis support techniques to maintain safe environments.
• Support teachers and instructors to engage students in practical and academic tasks.
• Help students regulate emotions and build coping strategies.
• Collaborate with SENCOs, social workers, and youth offending teams to monitor progress.

Skills

Trauma-informed care

De-escalation techniques

Behaviour management

Communication

Emotional resilience

Education

Team Teach

MAPA

CPI

Safety-Care

Job description

Are you resilient, trauma-informed, and passionate about giving excluded young people a second chance at education?

A dedicated Alternative Provision / Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) in Preston, Lancashire is recruiting an experienced, calm, and proactive PRU Behaviour Mentor / Pastoral Support Assistant starting this September 2026.

This role involves supporting secondary-aged young people (11-16) who have been excluded from mainstream education or are at risk of permanent exclusion. If you come from a background in alternative provision, youth justice, residential care, sports mentorship, or military/security transition, your skills in de-escalation and rapport-building will make an immediate impact.

Position Overview:

• Job Title: PRU Behaviour Mentor / Alternative Provision Support Specialist

• Location: Preston, Lancashire (Easily commutable via M6, M55, A59, and Preston Railway Station)

• Start Date: September 2026

• Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Term-time only - 30 to 32.5 hours/week)

• Pay Rate: .00+ per day (PAYE, based on experience and restraint/de-escalation training)

• Contract Type: Full-time, long-term placement for the 2026/27 academic year with permanent contract routes

Key Responsibilities:

• 1-to-1 & Small Group Mentoring: Deliver structured pastoral guidance and re-engagement sessions to students facing severe SEMH needs, complex trauma, ACEs, and challenging behaviours.

• De-escalation & Crisis Support: Identify early behavioural triggers and apply positive handling/de-escalation techniques (Team Teach / MAPA / CPI) to maintain a safe, low-arousal environment.

• Classroom & Workshop Assistance: Support subject teachers and vocational instructors (construction, mechanics, sports, creative arts) to keep pupils focused on practical and academic tasks.

• Emotional Regulation: Help students understand and regulate intense emotions, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and build self-worth.

• Reintegration & Progress Tracking: Work alongside SENCOs, social workers, and youth offending teams to monitor individual behaviour plans and support pathways back into mainstream or vocational settings.

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• Proven experience supporting disaffected youth, excluded students, or vulnerable teenagers in PRUs, AP academies, residential care homes, or community outreach.

• Strong understanding of trauma-informed care, attachment disorders, and the root causes of anti-social or defiant behaviour.

• Certified positive handling training (e.g., Team Teach, MAPA, CPI, Safety-Care) is highly advantageous (training updates can be provided).

• Firm, fair, and consistent communication style with high emotional resilience and a good sense of humour.

• Enhanced DBS on the Update Service (or willingness to process a check before start).

Why Join This Preston Alternative Provision Team?

• Direct Daily Impact: Work with smaller class sizes (typically 4-8 students per group) where individual relationship-building thrives.

• Predictable Sociable Schedule: Sociable daytime weekday hours with no evening or weekend shifts, plus 13 weeks of paid school holidays.

• Professional Development: Advanced training in SEMH, safeguarding and specialised behaviour management.

Help vulnerable young people in Preston reset their direction and rebuild their future.