Unqualified Teacher Outdoor Learning Instructor

Tradewind Recruitment LTD.; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive earnings

Term-time routine

Curriculum autonomy

Fast-track start

Job summary

Tradewind Recruitment LTD. places an Instructor / Unqualified Teacher for an Alternative Provision in Barnoldswick, Lancashire. The role blends outdoor activities with classroom projects, focusing on practical literacy, numeracy and life skills under a trauma-informed framework.

No QTS is required; experience in SEMH, substance misuse, or youth trauma is highly valued. DBS checks are essential, with a direct path to a permanent post and competitive day-rate earnings.

Qualifications

• Experience with vulnerable adolescents with SEMH, trauma, neglect or substance misuse.
• No QTS required; suitable backgrounds include Youth Outreach, Residential Support, Outdoor Instructors, HLTA, ex-forces, or PRU cover supervisors.
• Must hold or be willing to obtain an Enhanced Child Workforce DBS via Update Service with references.

Responsibilities

• Engage vulnerable pupils in KS2–KS4 with trauma backgrounds.
• Deliver disguised learning (sneaky teaching) integrating maths, English, science and life skills into outdoor tasks.
• Split time between outdoor spaces and nurture classrooms with high-support groups.
• Work in small groups (3–6 learners) with dedicated staff support.
• Act as pastoral mentor, identifying crisis signs and applying restorative conversations.
• Support pupils through trauma-informed approaches, understanding impacts of drug/alcohol misuse and neglect on behaviour.
• Transition from weekly PAYE contract to a permanent school post up to 33,000.

Skills

Resilience

Empathy

De-escalation

Pastoral support

Job description

Can you build trust with hard-to-reach young people and use practical, outdoor activities to deliver "sneaky teaching"?

We are recruiting a resilient, practical, and highly empathetic Instructor / Unqualified Teacher for an innovative, nature-focused Alternative Provision (AP) in Barnoldswick.

No QTS is required for this role. We are actively seeking professionals with real-world experience working around complex SEMH, substance/drug misuse, domestic trauma, neglect, or youth justice. If you have a background in youth work, residential care, outdoor education, or specialist PRU settings, this setting values your presence, life experience, and ability to de-escalate crisis above formal teaching qualifications.

This is a true 50/50 balance between practical outdoor engagement and classroom-based projects. You won't be lecturing from a whiteboard; you will deliver functional literacy, numeracy, and life skills through "sneaky teaching"-weaving core learning into outdoor bushcraft, woodwork, horticulture, animal care, sports, and project-based hands-on challenges.

The Role & Responsibilities

• Engage vulnerable pupils (Key Stages 2 to 4) who have experienced trauma, school exclusion, or significant disruption at home.

• Deliver engaging, disguised learning ("sneaky teaching")-embedding maths, English, science, and life skills into practical outdoor tasks and workshop projects.

• Split your timetable between outdoor woodland/farm-style spaces and high-ratio nurture classrooms.

• Work in small, high-support bubbles (typically 3 to 6 learners) with dedicated support staff.

• Act as an on-the-ground pastoral mentor, recognizing crisis signs, handling dysregulation, and setting firm, therapeutic boundaries without confrontation.

• Support pupils through a trauma-informed lens, understanding the real-life impacts of drug/alcohol misuse, emotional trauma, and neglect on behaviour.

• Seamlessly transition from a weekly PAYE contract into a permanent staff post paying up to 33,000.

Candidate Profile & Experience

• Background: Proven experience working with vulnerable adolescents facing complex Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, trauma backgrounds, family breakdown, or substance misuse.

• Qualifications: No QTS needed. Relevant backgrounds include Youth Outreach, Residential Support (Children's Homes), Outdoor Activity Instructors, Specialist HLTAs, Ex-Forces, or PRU Cover Supervisors.

• Outdoor Mindset: Enthusiastic about being outside in all Lancashire seasons-practical skills in bushcraft, gardening, mechanics, DIY, or sports are highly valued.

• De-escalation Skills: Calm, unflappable, and skilled in restorative conversations and non-violent crisis intervention (Team Teach, MAPA, or equivalent is an advantage).

• Safeguarding & Compliance: Must hold or be willing to undergo an immediate Enhanced Child Workforce DBS on the Update Service, backed by verifiable employment references.

• Transport: Reliable personal transport is strongly recommended due to the semi-rural Barnoldswick location.

What We Offer

• Competitive Earnings: Day rates equivalent to up to 33,000 per annum with a direct route to a permanent school contract.

• Term-Time Routine: Consistent Monday to Friday schedule (8:30 am - 4:30 pm)-no night shifts, sleep-ins, or weekend rotas.

• Autonomy in the Curriculum: Freedom to take learning outside and design creative, practical projects tailored to what makes each learner tick.

• Fast-Track Start: Walk straight into the role as soon as your DBS and vetting checks are completed.