We are seeking to appoint an outstanding, empathetic individual, with experience of working with children in an educational setting. As a Learning Support Mentor, you will be required to act as a positive role model to our students. You will be supporting students in a variety of ways access to learning using appropriate strategies and resources and providing feedback on their progress as required. You will be working in the school’s Inclusion base and will be involved in supporting young people who have neuro-diversities. If you are confident, relate well to young people and are a committed person, we welcome your application. The successful candidate will: Have effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills Have a background knowledge of the Foundation and National Curriculum Have the ability to empathise with students Have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively and collaboratively with colleagues and external stakeholders Have the ability to be a team player who will go the extra mile to support students and who will enjoy the challenges of this role Further Information Should you wish to arrange a visit to view the School, please do not hesitate to contact Channon Bruton, Office Manager on [email protected] who will be happy to arrange this. SAST will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. In line with KCSIE guidance, this will be part of safer recruitment checks, and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. As care must be taken to avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination, a person who will not be on the appointment panel will conduct the searches and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern. Safeguarding responsibilities associated with this role may include engagement in regulatory activity, such as administering first aid or supporting an upset child. It will have contact with young people on a day-to-day basis. SAST is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will have to meet the person specification and the post is subject to safeguarding checks, including an enhanced DBS check and Children’s Barred List check. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. SAST recognises the benefit of having a diverse workforce and is committed to building a workforce which reflects diversity from the communities it serves. SAST values the contributions from all staff from a wide range of different backgrounds and actively seeks to promote an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment and at the same time supports fair promotion and cultural acceptance. Under the provision of the Equality Act 2010 SAST welcomes applications from everyone and operates a recruitment process which is fair and does not discriminate against or disadvantage anyone because of their age, disability, gender reassignment status, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race or nationality, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. This role is UK- based and your right to work will need to be established as part of the appointment process. About Us Shaftesbury School is an 11-18 school with just over 800 pupils on roll. Shaftesbury School has been successful in gaining good results for its students at both GCSE and A-level. The Sixth Form students have an excellent record of success in gaining university entrance. We are a proud school which attracts students from around the local Dorset area. Shaftesbury School has been a place of learning for over 300 years. The school and town have seen many changes over the years but what has not changed is our commitment to education. Our intention is to deliver a broad and balanced school curriculum which is dynamic and challenging for all learners and to reflect our school’s rich cultural diversity. Our curriculum is built on a strongly held belief that effective learning takes place when literacy, questioning, challenge, engagement, feedback and progress are apparent and a commitment to a curriculum intent that provides for both knowledge acquisition and the development of key skills needed for their next stage in life. This is set in a Christian context that promotes inclusivity. Every student is encouraged to be autonomous learners with high aspirations. We want our students to believe in themselves and be actively engaged in their learning, seeing the connection between the knowledge that they learn in school with the lifelong personal and academic skills that they need to fulfil what they want to become tomorrow. We promote the highest expectations of our students and encourage everyone to be the best they can be. Our core Christian values are BEST - Belonging Empathy Service Thrive. Our guiding principle, “ Being the Best You Can Be ,” is deeply rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ, particularly his second commandment, “ Love thy neighbour as thyself ” (Matthew 22:39). This biblical wisdom illuminates our commitment to nurturing a community of compassionate, inclusive, and empathetic individuals. Shaftesbury School is a wonderful place to work and has a special atmosphere and feel. It became an Academy in June 2014 to sustain the quality of our outstanding provision. We joined SAST in July 2020 and are now part of a family of 18 schools in the local area. Shaftesbury is a beautiful rural country town that has easy road and close rail links to London, Bath, Bristol, Exeter and the glorious Dorset coast. North Dorset and the south-west of England combines the space and beauty of the Dorset countryside with a variety of famous sites, events, and activities for all.