Learning mentor

As a learning mentor, you'll support, motivate and guide pupils to help them overcome difficulties that affect their learning and development. These barriers may include:

• behavioural difficulties
• bereavement
• bullying or relationship problems
• difficult family circumstances
• experiences of abuse or neglect
• low confidence or motivation
• mental health difficulties
• poor attendance or punctuality
• unmet needs associated with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

You'll work closely with teachers and other staff to identify pupils who need additional support, plan appropriate interventions and monitor their progress. You may also work with parents, carers and external professionals to help pupils overcome challenges affecting their education.

You'll usually work one-to-one with pupils or in small groups, typically in primary and secondary schools, special schools, further education colleges or alternative provision settings.

Job titles vary and may include learning support mentor, behaviour mentor, academic mentor or student mentor.

What does a learning mentor do?

Your responsibilities will depend on the setting and the needs of the pupils you support.

Typically, you'll need to:

• liaise with teachers and other education staff to identify pupils who need additional support and plan appropriate interventions
• build trusting relationships with pupils, listen to their concerns and help them overcome barriers to learning
• develop individual action plans with pupils, set achievable goals and review their progress
• provide one-to-one and small-group mentoring and support pupils with their learning, both within and outside the classroom
• help pupils build confidence, motivation, resilience and positive relationships
• support pupils experiencing difficulties with behaviour, attendance or punctuality and encourage positive behaviour
• discuss pupils' progress and work with parents and carers to address concerns and provide support
• work with external professionals and agencies, such as educational psychologists, social workers and education welfare officers, where additional support is needed
• maintain accurate records, monitor progress and prepare reports on the effectiveness of mentoring activities
• recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns, following the school's or college's child protection procedures, and report concerns to the designated safeguarding lead or other appropriate staff.

In some roles, you may also:

• support pupils through educational transitions, such as moving from primary to secondary school or into further education
• carry out home visits to provide additional support to pupils and their families
• organise and run extracurricular activities, such as homework clubs
• supervise and support pupils who have been temporarily removed from lessons.

Learning mentor salaries

• Learning mentors typically earn between £25,000 and £28,000 a year, based on full-time-equivalent (FTE) rates. Actual salaries are often lower due to term-time-only working arrangements and part-time hours.
• Salaries for experienced learning mentors can rise to between £28,000 and £34,000.
• Senior or specialist learning mentors may earn £34,000 or more, particularly if they have additional responsibilities.

Many learning mentor positions are term-time only, usually covering 38 or 39 weeks of the year. Pay is calculated according to the number of hours and weeks worked, and salaries are usually paid in equal monthly instalments throughout the year.

Both permanent and fixed-term contracts are available, with opportunities for full-time and part-time work.

Salaries vary depending on your experience, location, employer and level of responsibility.

There isn't a single national pay scale specifically for learning mentors. However, many schools use local government pay scales for support staff, while academies and independent schools may set their own rates. Pay arrangements also vary across the UK.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

What hours do learning mentors work?

Working hours are usually around 30 to 37 hours a week, Monday to Friday, during term time (typically 38 or 39 weeks a year). Hours and working weeks vary between employers, particularly in further education colleges.

You may need to work occasional evenings to attend meetings, meet with parents and carers or support extracurricular activities.

Part-time work and fixed-term contracts are available, alongside permanent positions.

How do I become a learning mentor?

There's no single qualification route to become a learning mentor, although employers will usually expect you to have a good standard of general education, including GCSEs in English and maths at Grade 4/C or above (or equivalent qualifications). Some employers also require a relevant Level 3 qualification. Experience of working with children or young people, either paid or voluntary, is usually important.

Although you don't normally need a degree or HND, the following subjects may be particularly relevant:

• education
• psychology
• social work
• sociology or other social sciences
• youth and community work.

You can also take a foundation degree in learning support or a related subject, which may be particularly useful if you're already working in an educational support role. Search UCAS for relevant courses.

You may find it useful to take a vocational qualification in mentoring or supporting teaching and learning. Examples include:

• Level 2 Award in Mentoring
• Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning
• relevant Level 3 qualifications in mentoring, education or supporting teaching and learning.

These courses can help you develop the knowledge and skills needed to support children and young people. Some require you to be working or undertaking a placement in an educational setting. For more information on relevant courses, see NCFE Qualifications.

A postgraduate qualification isn't needed, although additional training in areas such as counselling skills, coaching, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), safeguarding or children's mental health may be useful.

You'll also need to undergo an enhanced criminal record check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in England and Wales.

What skills does a learning mentor need?

You'll need:

• communication and active listening skills to understand pupils' concerns and communicate effectively with families and other professionals
• empathy, patience and a non-judgemental approach to support pupils facing personal, social or emotional challenges
• knowledge of safeguarding, confidentiality and inclusive practice to protect pupils' welfare, handle sensitive information appropriately and support equality, diversity and inclusion
• organisation and record-keeping skills to manage mentoring activities, monitor progress and maintain accurate records
• problem-solving skills to identify barriers to learning and develop appropriate strategies to overcome them
• relationship-building and motivational skills to gain pupils' trust, build their confidence and encourage positive behaviour and engagement in education
• teamwork and collaboration skills to work effectively with teachers, parents, carers and external agencies.

Learning mentor work experience

You'll usually need experience of working with children or young people in either a paid or voluntary role. Mentoring or coaching experience is particularly valuable, as is experience in an educational setting. You can gain relevant experience through volunteering or paid work in:

• community organisations supporting young people
• educational charities
• holiday activity programmes
• schools and colleges
• youth and sports clubs.

Look for opportunities to support children and young people with their learning, confidence, behaviour or emotional wellbeing. Experience working with those who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or face barriers to learning can be particularly useful.

Your university may also offer peer mentoring, tutoring or outreach programmes that help you develop relevant skills. Experience supporting people outside educational settings can also be valuable.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Who employs learning mentors?

As a learning mentor, you'll usually work in an educational setting, such as:

• alternative provision, including pupil referral units
• further education colleges
• primary and secondary schools, including academies
• special schools.

You'll usually be employed directly by a school, academy trust or college, although some learning mentors work for local authorities, supporting pupils across different schools or educational settings.

Some roles also involve supporting children and young people at home or in community settings, particularly through alternative education provision.

Look for job vacancies at:

• eTeach and FEjobs
• LG Jobs
• MyNewTerm
• Teaching Vacancies - the Department for Education's job listing service for schools in England.
• tes Jobs.

You can also check individual school and academy trust websites, as well as local authority recruitment pages, for opportunities.

Where can a career as a learning mentor lead?

When you start as a learning mentor, you'll usually receive an induction and on-the-job training from experienced colleagues. Continuing professional development (CPD) will help you build your skills and develop your knowledge. You may have opportunities to attend courses and workshops in areas such as:

• counselling skills
• equality, diversity and inclusion
• mental health
• positive behaviour management
• safeguarding
• special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

With experience, you could become a senior or lead learning mentor, supporting pupils with more complex needs, guiding other learning mentors or coordinating mentoring programmes. You could also move into wider pastoral support and management roles, such as pastoral manager, attendance officer or inclusion coordinator.

You may choose to specialise in working with particular groups of pupils, including those with SEND, social, emotional and mental health needs or difficulties attending mainstream school. Specialist training can help you develop your expertise in these areas.

Your experience could also provide a foundation for moving into related careers, including:

• careers guidance
• counselling
• educational welfare
• social work
• teaching
• youth work.

Some of these professions require additional qualifications, professional training or registration.