JOB DESCRIPTION POST TITLE: DIRECTORATE: SCALE: RESPONSIBLE TO: Personal Learning Coach Term Time Only (40 weeks) Learner Services 4E Support for Success Co-ordinator & Director of Learner Services AIMS AND PURPOSE OF THE JOB To support College attendance, retention and achievement strategies by providing a high quality pro-active learning support service. To provide support for learning that contributes to an outstanding student experience from the start of the college journey to progression into further study or employment. To work directly with Personal Tutors, curriculum staff and Learner Services to ensure learners are fully engaged with all aspects of their Study Programme and achieving to the best of their ability. To support learners to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. KEY ROLES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES To provide, on a one to one and group basis, high quality interventions that encourage learners to engage and enable the achievement of realistic yet challenging goals to support future success and progression. To measure the impact of one to one and group work carried out in order to evaluate effectiveness and inform continual improvement. To maintain accurate records of all interventions and learner information on ProMonitor. To manage a flexible caseload of learners, prioritising those with attendance, retention, achievement or support needs. To facilitate regular caseload progress reviews with Personal Tutors, in order to create and implement effective support and stretch strategies for learners. To assist in pre-entry activities such as recruitment events, enrolment activities and assessment of support needs. To deliver initial assessment activities and use the results to inform support needs, set challenging SMART targets and track progress. To understand barriers to learning and to support learners to overcome these by developing innovative practice and delivering a consistently outstanding service. To work closely with Personal Tutors to provide and deliver comprehensive group tutorial sessions, ensuring continuous service. To periodically cover the work of other colleagues within Learner Services and take on the management of small projects in order to broaden personal experience.
To produce statistics to regularly evaluate the impact of services, improve service standards and contribute to the Colleges quality processes. To actively publicise support services to all students and staff. To deliver first aid at College to students, staff and visitors. OTHER DUTIES To undertake other duties commensurate with job purpose, title of the post and it s grading. To participate in the College Performance Management Scheme. To take direct responsibility for your own continuous professional development. To carry out duties with due regard to both local and legislative requirements and to operate within the College s Equal Opportunities, Safeguarding and Health and Safety Practices. This Job Description is current at the date shown below, and is a guide to the work you will be required to undertake. In consultation with the post holder, it may be changed from time to time by the College to meet changing circumstances. August 2015
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE The appointment is subject to the Conditions of Service for Business Support Staff. SALARY The salary range for this post is from 17,781 to 19,776 per annum/pro rata. SAFEGUARDING The College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All newly appointed staff will be required to undertake safeguarding training following their appointment. HOURS OF WORK Working hours are based on 37 hours per week, 40 weeks per year. However, you must be able to work flexible hours. ANNUAL LEAVE As this is a term time only appointment you will receive a payment in lieu of holiday, which is in addition to your salary. You will also be paid for any Statutory Bank Holidays which fall within your working week. PENSION SCHEME The College operates an occupational pension scheme, namely the Local Government Pension Scheme. PROBATIONARY PERIOD All newly appointed staff have to serve a 6 month probationary period. LOCATION The successful applicant will be based at Worcester, but will be required to work at other locations from time to time. MEDICAL The successful applicant will be required to satisfy the Medical Officer as to his/her fitness to carry out the duties of the post. VALIDATION OF QUALIFICATIONS The College will undertake qualification validation by writing to the appropriate educational institute. Only those qualifications which are essential for the post will be followed up. RECRUITMENT OF EX-OFFENDERS The College is committed to the fair treatment of its staff, potential staff or users of its services, regardless of race, gender religion, sexual orientation, responsibilities for dependants, age, physical/mental disability or offending background. As an organisation we use the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) to assess the suitability of all prospective appointments. We undertake not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure on the basis of conviction or other information revealed. Applicants/employees are required to declare any pending criminal prosecutions they may have as well as any spent criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings as defined under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. The only exception to this requirement is that applicants/employees do not need to disclose any protected cautions, or convictions as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2013.
Please read the Guidance Note to applicants on disclosing information about cautions and convictions in their application document before you complete your application form. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of any offences. DISCLOSURE & BARRING CHECK A Disclosure & Barring Service check will be sought for the successful applicant. The College adheres to the DBS Code of Practice and has policies covering the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders and the Secure Storage, Handling, Use, Retention and Disposal of Disclosures and Disclosure Information. Copies of these are available on request. TRAINING Undertake any appropriate training and development as required, including Health and Safety. SMOKING POLICY For health and safety reasons, the Heart of Worcestershire College has a smoke-free environment in all its buildings and premises. APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES Candidates with a disability should contact the HR Department before interview if they require any adjustments to be made for the interview and/or selection tests. APPLICATIONS A completed application form should be submitted online. Curriculum vitae will not be accepted as a substitute. It would greatly assist the shortlisting panel if the information submitted on your application clearly identifies and demonstrates how your qualities match those listed under the essential requirements on the person specification. Please remember that it is not sufficient to merely repeat what is in the specification you must show how you meet each requirement. You must also provide details under previous employment which must include all employment undertaken since leaving full time education. Completed application forms should be submitted online by 3 September 2015 via our website at www.howcollege.ac.uk INTERVIEWS The Interview date for this post is TBC; short-listed candidates will be notified with the details for interview. In view of the high cost of postage, it is not our intention to notify unsuccessful applicants. If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful and accept our thanks for your interest in applying.
PERSON SPECIFICATION Attainments (e.g. Qualifications, Experience) ESSENTIAL NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification; Level 2 qualification in Literacy and Numeracy; Experience of using a database in an education or support setting; First Aid Qualification or willingness to obtain. DESIRABLE NVQ 3/4 Guidance or a qualification in counselling, teaching, learning support, careers, youth work or health; Experience of supporting learning needs on a one to one or classroom basis; General Skills Excellent communication skills and ability to establish rapport with client group; Ability to work as part of a team and prioritise workloads; Specific Special Skills Disposition /Personal Qualities Ability to raise aspirations and motivate students to achieve; Experience of using intervention strategies and local support agencies; Confidence in dealing with a range of client groups; General Points