Reading Mentor

Inspiration Trust; Norwich; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational organization in Norwich is looking for reliable and proactive Reading Mentors to aid vulnerable students in improving their reading skills. This role requires the ability to develop supportive relationships with students and deliver the Thinking Reading program effectively. Ideal candidates will have general teaching skills and experience with children. The position offers competitive salary and professional growth opportunities.

Benefits

Generous holiday entitlement

Local Government Pension Scheme

Health Plan and Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle-to-work scheme

Retail Benefits

Corporate membership of the Norwich Theatre Royal

Free Parking

Qualifications

• Experience of working with or caring for children of relevant age.
• Basic understanding of child development and learning.
• General understanding of National Curriculum and other basic learning programmes.

Responsibilities

• Help develop and maintain effective relationships with students.
• Deliver the Thinking Reading programme with fidelity.
• Engage in required training for successful delivery.

Skills

Good ICT skills

Numeracy skills

Literacy skills

Ability to evaluate learning needs

Ability to relate well to children

Job description

Salary: Support Staff Pay Scale E: £23,356 to £24,894 pro-rata per annum (Actual) (£25,584 - £27,269 full time/full year equivalent)

Working Weeks: 41 weeks

Start Date: September/October 2025

Jane Austen College has a big mission - that every student leaves us being able to read confidently and fluently! Can you help us make this a reality?

At Inspiration Trust our mantra is that all children can achieve and succeed, no matter what their background. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds have been more adversely impacted by the pandemic and we are therefore seeking reliable, proactive and efficient Reading Mentors to join the following Academy at the Trust in order to help our most vulnerable students close the gap between their reading age and their chronological age. Full training will be provided to deliver Thinking Reading, a 1:1 intensive reading intervention within the context of a high-performing academy chain with a vision for truly inclusive schools.

The role will require you to help to develop and maintain effective and supportive relationships with the students you work with, and have a calm, clear and consistent approach to working with young people. You will need to deliver the Thinking Reading programme with a high degree of fidelity and engage in the required training in order to be able to do this successfully.

The ideal candidate will have:
- Good ICT, numeracy, and literacy skills
- Experience of working with or caring for children of relevant age
- Ability to evaluate learning needs and actively seek learning opportunities
- Ability to relate well to children and adults
- Basic understanding of child development and learning
- General understanding of National Curriculum and other basic learning programmes

Jane Austen College is a school with a unique and exciting history. Set up in 2014 as a flagship free school for the Inspiration Trust, with a specialism in English and Humanities. The college has grown from two-year groups through to a full 11-18 school of over 1000 students. The college has a history of excellent results at both GCSE and A-Level, including STEM A-Levels as part of our unique collaboration with Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form.

In May 2024, Jane Austen College and Sixth Form received an Outstanding rating from Ofsted. The report stated that the college provided “exceptional academic education, excellent pastoral support, and a character curriculum for all its students, building life skills to see them succeed in progressing to some of the top universities in the country and into prosperous careers”. Ofsted commended the school’s dedication to the care and wellbeing of its students, including the prioritising of positive mental health practices. It is true to say that its staff write a narrative of success for all our students, ensuring that they all have access to powerful knowledge and transformative extracurricular experiences regardless of background or disadvantage.

We are part of the Inspiration Trust, twice ranked as the country’s top family of comprehensive schools for pupil progress, and strongly believe in the importance of giving the widest educational opportunities to all young people, regardless of their background. We have strong networks across the Trust, with opportunities to work with a diverse range of schools and partners. We are committed to offering excellent professional and learning opportunities for our staff, with a busy programme of continuing professional development courses delivered by some of the country’s best educational thinkers and practitioners.

The Inspiration Trust is a Multi Academy Trust, committed to delivering the very best educational experience for the young people of Norfolk and Suffolk, across 17 schools. We are ambitious for our schools and communities and want to create Britain’s highest performing federation of 3-19 schools and transform education in the East. Inspiration Trust specialises in transforming schools in disadvantaged areas and taking academies from failing to outstanding.

When you join Inspiration Trust's thriving network of talented teachers, leaders and support staff, you join an organisation that supports you to be the best you can be. The Trust offers a varied professional development programme for employees.

We are committed to offering excellent professional opportunities for our staff, through careful support and personalised CPD. We offer a structured and specific induction programme.

The Trust also offers:
- Generous holiday entitlement
- Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with generous employer contributions
- Health Plan and Employee Assistance Programme giving access to a range of services including claim back costs for Eye Care and prescriptions and access to 24/7 virtual GP Service and mental health support (Terms and conditions and restrictions apply).
- Cycle-to-work scheme
- Retail Benefits offering discounts with many shops and suppliers
- Corporate membership of the Norwich Theatre Royal
- Salary sacrifice schemes, including home technology, smartphones and healthcare plans, including Dental insurance and Gym membership discounts (Terms and conditions and restrictions apply).
- Free Parking (on most sites)
*Some benefits are only available following successfully passing probation

To apply for this role please click the Apply button to complete the online application form.

Closing date for applications: 12pm on Tuesday 26th August 2025

Interview date: Monday 8th September 2025

Inspiration Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All staff appointments are subject to satisfactory references and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks. We are an equal opportunities employer.