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General background. Learning Mentors
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1. Learning Mentors in NottinghamNottingham Trent UniversityThursday 29th January 2009 Lynne Morelli - Learning Mentor Co-ordinator
Louise Butler - Primary Learning Mentor/SENCo
Vicki Smith - Transition Learning Mentor
2. General background Learning Mentors originated as one of the three main strands of the Excellence in Cities (EiC) initiative – Phase II (1999)
Work primarily in Primary and Secondary settings
Currently 14,000 LMs in England (Estimate!)
3. In Nottingham City 16 Secondary schools employ Learning Mentor (total of 67 secondary LMs)
38 out of 92 primary schools employ LMs (total of 48 primary LMs - 3 at Infant level)
Some LMs in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs)
4. Learning Mentors are: Salaried staff who work with school and college students and pupils to help them address barriers to learning
A bridge across academic and pastoral support roles with the aim of ensuring that individual pupils and students engage more effectively in learning and achieve appropriately
A key ingredient in many school and college approaches to improve the achievement levels of pupils and students
5. Where do they fit? Learning Mentors are now established as an important new occupational group through the National Occupational Standards for Learning, Development and Support Services (LDSS)
Are established as part of the new Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC)
6. Specific roles Behaviour
Attendance
Transfer and transition (primary to secondary)
Academic (Coaches)
Gifted and Talented
Specific Key Stages
BME mentoring
Children Looked After
Teenage pregnant girls
7. Why may a child be referred to a Learning Mentor? Behaviour difficulties
Attendance
Punctuality
Mobility
Bereavement
Poor social skills
Victim/ perpetrator of bullying
Concerns over transition
Negative attitudes to learning
Low self-esteem
Withdrawn
Unstable, difficult family circumstances
8. What do they do? Address barriers to learning through:
1:1 targeted work (Action plans, targets...)
Small group work
Home school-liaison
Liaison with other support agencies (integrated working)
Liaison with teaching and non-teaching staff
Helping schools to address the five Every Child Matters outcomes
9. Learning Mentor Activities Self-esteem
Social Skills
Anger Management
Attendance/punctuality
Study Skills
Breakfast Clubs School Council
Emotional Literacy
After School clubs/lunch time clubs
Anti-Bullying Programmes
Peer mentoring
10. Achievements and Impact Reduction in fixed term exclusions
Improved attendance, punctuality
Improved social skills and emotional literacy
Improved attainment levels
More engagement from parents/carers
One LM nominated as regional EiC Champion
One LM invited to reception at Downing Street in recognition of excellent work with children
11. What are the key qualities/skills of a Learning Mentor? Committed
Patient
Empathetic
Non-judgmental
Passionate
Professional
Organised
Reliable
Honest
Flexible, ability to prioritise
A positive role model
An advocate
A challenger of assumptions
A team player
Ability to work independently
Pro-active, visionary
12. What training and support is available? CWDC Induction training
Ongoing training/integrated training
Termly network meetings
Annual conferences (workshops, networking)
Access to Nottingham Learning Gateway
13. Generic Modules (Induction Training)...
15.
16. Career Progression CWDC promotes workforce mobility
Learning Mentors have gone on to posts:
- as SENCOs
- as Senior Learning Mentors
- as Inclusion Managers
- as Higher Level Teaching
Assistants
- as teachers (through Graduate
Teacher Programmes)
- within Social Care, the NHS
17. How do I become a Learning Mentor? Learning Mentors are employed by schools - recruitment at a local level
Check the Nottingham Evening Post (Wednesdays)
www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk (? ‘Jobs’
? ‘Apply for a job at a Nottingham school’)
18. Further information:
www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/learning-mentors/
(FAQ, Learning Mentor Practice Guide, info on CWDC Induction Training etc.)
lynne.morelli@nottinghamcity.gov.uk
tel: 0115 9150638
19. Louise Butler
Milford Primary: 9152951
Mob: 0774 8883388
Vicki Smith
Big Wood School (secondary): 9539323