Relational Practice & Mentoring Practitioner

JOB TITLE: Relational Practice & Mentoring Practitioner

NORMAL LOCATION: Silverstone

SCALE & SALARY RANGE: SUTC Scale 4, point 13

£29,064 (FTE), £23,517 (Actual)

HOURS OF WORK: 34.5 hours per week, 39 weeks per year

RESPONSIBLE TO: Deputy Principal & DSL

Silverstone UTC is a purpose-built centre of excellence for young people wanting to break into the specialist fields of High-Performance Engineering and Business with Events Management. It is based in the very heart of British Motorsport, within the Silverstone circuit, in a stunning multi-million-pound facility.

So why Silverstone UTC? We are different: we are a smaller school, only catering to students in KS4 and KS5. This means you get to know your colleagues and our students very quickly. Our students tell us that they appreciate our more 'grown-up' environment and the preparation it gives them for their future careers. We are supportive and take care to ensure that our staff have a good work-life balance: there is also plenty of experience in the team and around the UTC to help you settle in.

We pride ourselves on building excellent relationships which makes Silverstone UTC a very happy place to work.

Silverstone UTC is a purpose-built centre of excellence for young people wanting to break into the specialist fields of High-Performance Engineering and Business with Events Management. It is based in the very heart of British Motorsport, within the Silverstone circuit, in a stunning multi-million-pound facility.

So why Silverstone UTC? We are different: we are a smaller school, only catering to students in KS4 and KS5. This means you get to know your colleagues and our students very quickly. Our students tell us that they appreciate our more 'grown-up' environment and the preparation it gives them for their future careers. We are supportive and take care to ensure that our staff have a good work-life balance: there is also plenty of experience in the team and around the UTC to help you settle in.

We pride ourselves on building excellent relationships which makes Silverstone UTC a very happy place to work.

We are looking for an exceptional practitioner to join The Pit Lane - our integrated safeguarding, pastoral, SEND and mentoring provision. You will help young people feel understood, regain control and develop the skills and behaviours they need to thrive.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

General Requirements

The Relational Practice and Mentoring Practitioner will work as part of The Pit Lane team, supporting students whose behaviour, regulation, engagement or wider circumstances are making it harder for them to participate successfully in school. The role combines responding to Help on Call and supporting Reset with planned mentoring and targeted intervention.

Reset is not an isolation unit, and we do not isolate students from the school community. It is a short, purposeful and relational intervention, often lasting less than 30 minutes. The aim is to help a student regain control, make sense of what has happened and return successfully to their lesson as quickly as possible.

The students who need this immediate support are often the same students who need a consistent adult, a trusting relationship and more time to develop the skills they need to respond differently in future. The postholder will help students understand the impact of their behaviour, identify what they need to learn, repair relationships where necessary and re-engage positively with learning.

You will be fully committed to relational practice and Therapeutic Thinking, bringing warmth, calm authority and a genuine belief in young people, particularly when they face challenges. You will build positive and trusting relationships, understand the factors that influence behaviour and combine empathy with clear boundaries and high expectations. Through teaching practical strategies, supporting reflection and repair, and helping students successfully re-engage with learning, you will enable young people to develop the skills, confidence and self-discipline needed to achieve lasting success with increasing independence. This is not a role focused on supervision, removal or securing short-term compliance; it is about helping students make meaningful, long-term progress.

Other areas of responsibility

Safeguarding

• Work in line with statutory safeguarding guidance (e.g. Keeping Children Safe in Education, Prevent) and our safeguarding and child protection policies.
• Work with the DSL to promote the best interests of pupils, including sharing concerns where necessary.
• Promote the safeguarding of all pupils in the school.

Please note that this list of duties is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the role. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the faculty leader will carry out. The postholder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

We are looking for a calm, warm and resilient practitioner who can build trusted relationships with young people while maintaining clear boundaries and high expectations. You will be able to remain measured when behaviour is difficult or dysregulated, listen without judgement and help students reflect, repair and return positively to learning. You must be able to work closely with colleagues across safeguarding, pastoral, SEND, mentoring and teaching, communicate clearly with families, and keep accurate and professional records.

You will genuinely believe that behaviour can be understood, taught and developed, and that understanding a young person’s behaviour does not mean excusing it. You will recognise that some students need more explicit teaching, consistent relationships and sustained support to meet the same expectations. You will be reflective, open to feedback and committed to relational practice, Therapeutic Thinking and the Silverstone Way values of kindness, integrity, determination and pride.

Criteria

Experience and knowledge

Experience of working successfully with children or young people and of supporting them through barriers, difficult situations or periods of change. (Essential)

Experience of mentoring or working in education, youth work, inclusion, SEND, SEMH, pastoral care, coaching or a similar setting would be an advantage. (Desirable)

Core Professional and personal competencies

GCSE English and Maths at grade 4/C or above, or equivalent Level 2 qualifications.(Essential)

Good IT skills and the ability to learn to use platforms including Go4Schools.(Essential)

Willingness to undertake Therapeutic Thinking, safeguarding and any additional mentoring or intervention training required for the role.(Essential)

The successful candidate will:

• Be a strong communicator
• Have the ability to work calmly under pressure.
• Have attention to detail.
• Be resilient and solution-focused.
• Discreet when handling personal matters.
• Approachable but willing to have difficult conversations with students, parents and carers when required.(Essential)

A relevant Level 3 qualification in mentoring, youth work, education, pastoral care, SEND, SEMH or a related area would be desirable, although relevant experience will also be considered.(Desirable)

An awareness or understanding of Therapeutic Thinking.(Desirable)

Generic Competencies (Essential)

• A commitment to achieving the best outcomes for all pupils
• Uphold and promote the ethos and values of the school
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritise effectively
• Maintain confidentiality at all times
• Commitment to safeguarding and equality

Professional Development (Essential)

Evidence of c