Buckler’s Mead

Academy

Learning

Mentor

LEARNING MENTOR

(Grade 14)

Starting salary: £10,691

30 hours per week – term time only

Temporary contract (up to 1 year) – Maternity cover

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THE YEOVIL AREA

Yeovil is a large market town set close to the Somerset/Dorset border. The countryside around Yeovil is breathtakingly beautiful, ranging from picturesque villages, open rolling pastures and dramatic hilly areas to the large towns of Taunton and Dorchester not far away. Buckler’s Mead Academy is situated on the edge of town, towards the Dorset border.

THE ACADEMY

Buckler’s Mead Academy is an 11 – 16 mixed comprehensive academy located in Yeovil, Somerset with approximately 850 students on roll. Buckler’s Mead is very popular in the local area and enjoys a good reputation. The last Section 5 Ofsted inspection took place in September 2014. The academy was judged as good overall and in all four sections: Achievement, Behaviour, Leadership and Management and Teaching.

Some key points from the report:

  • The academy has implemented the priorities for improvement identified at the last inspection well. There have been notable improvements in teaching in English and Mathematics. The progress of students with identified special educational needs has improved
  • The headteacher and senior leaders are successfully driving the improvement in teaching and achievement with the full support of the staff
  • The academy’s records of the academic progress of students show an improving trend. That improvement has led to a rise in attainment
  • Teachers insist on high standards of behaviour and the students respond well to their guidance. As a result, students have a positive attitude to learning. When there are incidents of poor behaviour they are dealt with well
  • There has been effective work to keep students safe, and to promote values that are appropriate for modern British life
  • The academy is using resources well to improve the progress of disadvantaged students
  • The academy directors know the academy well. They provide a good level of support and challenge that contributes to the academy’s improvement.

For further details please read the report on our website:

BUCKLER’S MEAD AS AN ACADEMY

Since the school converted to an academy in August 2011 attainment at Key Stage 4 has steadily risen to 59% A* - C (including English and Maths) and 85% A* - C in 2013, which placed us as the top 11 – 16 school/academy in Somerset for student progress. In January 2014 we were identified as the most improved in Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Wiltshire. Our overall 2014 results saw a slight dip in some headline figures due to the changes in the accreditations recognised at Key Stage 4. However, we were 3rd in Somerset for progress in both English and Maths and in the top 25% in the country for student progress.

Students at the academy are happy, polite and well behaved. Levels of attendance have improved and are now above the national average. Exclusion is far lower than national. The staff are welcoming and very loyal to the academy. They enable the academy to provide a wide range of trips and extra-curricular activities which are well attended.

We have a policy of investing in staff with support, care and training, and are recognised “Investors in People”, having been seven times awarded the prestigious national accolade for the quality of our staff development and personnel practices. We are also currently running two staff benefit packages: Edenred discounts and Simply Health.

If you would like more information about the academy, please visit our website at

THE ROLE OF THE LEARNING MENTOR AT BUCKLER’S MEAD

This is an interesting post that we introduced a number of years ago to support our Year Co-ordinators who lead year groups of up to 200 students and teams of six or seven tutors. Year Co-ordinators move through the years with the same students (except for a static Year 7 Co-ordinator).

Year Co-ordinators and tutors support students in a range of ways, to ensure they are happy, interested and engaged in their learning and responsible, confident, successful members of the community. This support may be about attendance, punctuality, behaviour and peer group problems, alongside more complex emotional and learning issues. As year teams the emphasis is on removing obstacles to achieving success and rewarding achievement in all its forms.

Part of the success of the teams is due to thethree Learning Mentors,who work under the direction of Year Co-ordinators and Key Stage Co-ordinators. The role has been a major success and a welcome addition to the pastoral work of the academy. There is both challenge and reward in a post that supports some challenging young people and provides the opportunity to work creatively to provide the best network of support possible.

KEY ROLES
  • To be proactive in supporting students by anticipating and resolving difficulties.
  • To mentor individual students at the request of Year Co-ordinators or Tutors.
  • To support inclusive practice and specifically behaviour management at Buckler’s Mead Academy.
  • To contact parents/carers as required to keep them informed and respond to any questions and queries raised by parents/carers.
  • To provide support for attendance procedures operating in the academy, working alongside the Attendance Officer and Parent Family Support Advisor.
  • To take an active role in the support for school refusers or other students with attendance problems.
  • To support the processes in place for students not receiving their education in school.
  • To take responsibility for specified administrative tasks,entry of Behaviour Management data, incident recording, student records, production of weekly pastoral calendar and complete administrative tasks linked to the year group(s).
  • To take student/witness statements and share all information with Year Co-ordinators.
  • To co-ordinate and administer completion of accurate logs regarding incidents of bullying.
  • To offer a ‘drop in’ service during student lunchtimes for those who need someone to talk to, re-directing as appropriate.
  • To support the reward systems.
  • To take an organisational role in year activities.
  • To accompany year specific trips and visits if required.
  • To participate in Academic Mentoring Days.
  • To maintain year specific notice boards in the main block corridor with the help of the Reprographics Technician.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We are looking for someone with sound common sense, energy, initiative and an understanding of teenagers and their behaviour. Experience in a school setting, whilst desirable, is not vital but the ability to demonstrate confidence and care with 11 – 16 year olds is essential.

APPLICATIONS

Applications are welcome by application form, along with a covering letter, to the Headteacher, Mrs Sara Gorrod by the closing date ofMonday 9 May 2016 (9.00 am).

PLEASE NOTE THAT ONLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED

Thank you for your interest in this post – we look forward to receiving your application

Summer Term 2016