School Transition Learning Mentor for Children Looked After

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1 Job Title: School Transition Learning Mentor for Children Looked After Job Grade: Band 3 Directorate: Job Reference Number: Schools Children & Families P00865 The Role Working closely with Education Advisors for Looked After Children and senior staff in schools, responsible for raising the achievement of looked after children in order to narrow the gap between the attainment and outcomes of these children and all children in Essex through supporting planned transition from Primary to secondary education. Job Purpose School Transition Learning Mentor for Children Looked After to: - Promote a positive, optimistic attitude to learning and achievement within schools, with CLA, their parents/carers and the wider community. This will include a particular focus on CLA at the point of transition to another school / education setting - Develop a coordinated learning mentor programme within existing school pupil support structures, ensuring clear understanding of the distinctive role of learning mentors - Monitor pupil progress and response on regular basis, taking rapid action to provide support if difficulties become apparent - Provide reports as required - Follow Local Authority and School policies and practices, for example, in relation to child protection, teaching and learning and health and safety Key Accountabilities helping CLA to develop positive attitudes to learning and achieve their targets and educational potential understanding the range of barriers to learning that CLA may experience and systematically removing these barriers to learning highlight the importance of good achievement and its impact on the life chances of CLA

2 seeking and implementing a variety of strategies to support pupils in achieving their targets building good relationships with pupils, parents/carers and colleagues and other professionals home/placement-school partnership in supporting pupil achievement and attendance facilitating effective multi-agency working setting high expectations through high personal standards writing clear and informative reports, including the analysis of pupil data knowledge of school routines and organisation, particularly learning support and teaching and learning understanding Essex County Council and school policies, for example, child protection, special needs, teaching and learning and health and safety achieving the best outcomes for CLA in line with Every Child Matters (ECM) and Narrowing the Gap. Make arrangements to ensure the County Council s functions are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. Support the Head of the Virtual School for Looked After Children in developing and sustaining arrangements to promote co-operation between the Council and our partner organisations in Essex to develop and deliver a shared programme for change, so that outcomes for children and young people Looked After by the LA are at the centre of service provision, rather than being built around organisational boundaries and professional disciplines. Safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people Looked After by ensuring compliance with the Essex SET child protection procedures. Promote, secure and ensure the active participation of children, young people and their families in the development, monitoring and review of services to ensure that there is continuous improvement in service delivery and that services delivered are responsive to client needs.

3 Maintain and implement Council wide processes as directed for performance management communicating and embedding all agreed policies and processes in a timely manner to ensure that consistency with the rest of the service and organisation can be maintained. Support the Head of The Virtual School for Looked After Children in driving forward the cultural, workforce, and other changes necessary to ensure services cohere around children and young people s needs and secure improved outcomes. Ensure sound mechanisms to record information and needs data required to inform performance monitoring, internally and externally. Ensure compliance with statutory requirements, including equality and antidiscrimination legislation and ensure arrangements are in place for the effective management of concerns and complaints. Knowledge, Skills and Experience educational qualifications or skills that indicate an ability to work with complex information and concepts and to write reports including analysis of pupil data experience of working with children and young people knowledge of school organisation and procedures and of effective teaching and learning good understanding of issues related to under-achievement and the barriers to learning that some pupils face good interpersonal skills with a positive and optimistic attitude able and willing to work effectively and productively both independently and as a member of a team, and to develop working links with a variety of external agencies able to develop a programme for learning mentor work and to collaborate with colleagues in developing an effective pupil support programme able to develop effective working partnerships with pupils and their parents/carers, including the ability to motivate and support by developing a wide range of strategies to meet pupils needs able to communicate effectively with children, parents/carers and colleagues

4 well-organised approach to work and be able to act on own initiative able to write clear, concise reports including the analysis of pupil data able to plan work, prioritise effectively and meet deadlines and targets confident user of ICT or willing to develop these skills highly motivated with resilience and flexibility a champion for disadvantaged pupils a commitment to a supportive, encouraging approach to work a commitment to the value of good achievement and its importance to the life chances of young people a commitment to training and development Values and Behaviours Passionate about achieving results Constantly strives to do an excellent job for the Council Learns from mistakes Is professional and positive Takes responsibility for monitoring and achieving own targets Responsive to customer s needs Listens and responds to every customer in ways that show courtesy, respect and understanding of their individual needs Maintains clear communication with customers concerning expectations and progress Takes responsibility for resolving customer queries and responding to requests, within service standards/timeframes Receives and acts on customer feedback positively to improve own customer service Inspirational and bold in thinking and solutions Is receptive to change, being open to new ways of working Acts promptly and decisively to overcome obstacles and provide solutions Takes opportunities to progress the work and avoid problems in the short term

5 Applies good practice to meet service or Council needs Supportive of others input and perspectives working as one Treats colleagues with respect and values them as individuals Maintains positive relationships with colleagues Supports colleagues and is flexible towards others needs Practices open and honest two-way communication, listening to others and actively sharing information Contributes to team dialogue/meetings in order to develop own and team s performance Motivating others and trusting them to deliver Encourages others, acknowledges their efforts Shares skills and knowledge in areas of own expertise, to support others Makes sure those they are working with have all the necessary information to do the job Safeguarding Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. Pre-Employment Checks appropriate to this Job Profile Essex County Council (ECC) is committed to ensuring all recruitment is undertaken fairly, effectively, safely and in accordance with legislation. The information below provides pre-employment screening guidance for candidates applying to this job at Essex County Council. Role Requirement: Working with children / vulnerable adults in a specified place or post Pre-Employment Check Self Declaration (Spent and unspent convictions) CRB Enhanced Level (renewed every three years) ISA Registration Regulated Definition A declaration of spent and unspent convictions must be completed by employees who work with vulnerable adults or children The CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check will be sought by ECC before a start date is agreed ECC will administer the ISA Register check

6 (from July 2010) References All posts defined as Regulated or Controlled as outlined in the ISA Regulations will require: At least two employer references one reference is required prior to interview and should ideally be from your current/most recent employer Reference history covering a minimum of five years employment A reference from the last employer where the post gave access to children or vulnerable adults Any gaps of 4 weeks or more will be explored by the manager at interview stage. Where appropriate additional character references will be taken up Medical Eligibility / Right to work in the UK Regulatory qualifications and professional registration (subject to role) SWIFT/Protocol All new recruits and employees whose role changes significantly are required to complete a medical health questionnaire Proof is required and original documentation will be sought i.e. passport or full birth certificate Original qualification certificates and proof of registration with a professional body are required (if applicable) A check against the individuals name on the Social Care electronic database will be administered