AddressThe Personal Tutor role is key in raising learners’ attendance and achievement, developing learners’ personal, social and employability skills and increasing progression to higher levels of study and employment.
The core elements of the role are:
- To monitor and track attendance of learners.
- To monitor and track progress through target setting and support learners to achieve their full potential and progression to their next steps.
- To deliver the cross-college Thrive tutorial programme.
KEY ROLES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
Transition of new learners:
- To participate in the design and delivery of curriculum specific induction.
- To assist students during induction to facilitate a smooth transition so that learners are well-informed and prepared for the demands of their programme of study
- To encourage the development of a positive group identity amongst students and a “sense of belonging” to the College and their course group.
THRIVE Group Tutorial Delivery:
- To embrace the ethos of the THRIVE tutorial programme, by delivering engaging, motivational and inspiring sessions, encouraging debate and discussion in a safe environment.
- Differentiate resources to meet the needs of the learners for each group.
- Record the delivery of THRIVE Group Tutorial sessions on ProMonitor.
THRIVE 1:1 Tutorial Support:- To support and direct learners to identify online resources to complete independently to personalise their THRIVE programme.
- Record the participation of THRIVE 1:1 online sessions on ProMonitor.
- Undertake regular progress reviews with learners to complete an Individual Learning Plan and record progress and outcomes.
- To collaborate with CRQ Leaders, PLCs and curriculum staff to set aspirational SMART targets.
- Utilise College reports to monitor and track academic progress to remove barriers to learning to enable learners to achieve to their full potential.
- Utilise College reports to monitor and track attendance, identifying those who are vulnerable and at risk.
- To provide feedback and support to students to enable them to improve grades and performance and encourage them to develop personal, social and employability skills.
- To support learners in developing digital and study skills to enhance and promote independent and collaborative learning.
- To refer and signpost students to internal services such as Wellbeing, Support 4 Success, Careers, Student Finance.
- To report and safeguarding concerns immediately, following the College safeguarding process.
- To maintain accurate student records to inform others of potential issues, difficulties and support requirements by creating comments and setting a risk rating to each learner.
- To promote Student Standards and positive behaviour and challenge unacceptable behaviour.
- Collaborate with CRQ leader and curriculum staff to engage and support learners following disciplinary processes and actions.
Supporting Vulnerable learners:- To act as an advocate for vulnerable student groups, such as Looked After Children, Care leavers, young carers, young parents, children known to social care and those with an EHCP etc.
- Liaise with support departments (Wellbeing, Support 4 Success, Student Finance, Careers) to support vulnerable groups and provide information on attendance, progression and wellbeing to support external meetings. (Looked After Reviews, Personal Education Plan meetings, EHCP reviews, emergency meetings).
- Attend regular caseload meetings with Wellbeing Team to support learners’ attendance, progression and wellbeing. Relay relevant information to curriculum teams to achieve the best outcomes for the learner.
Support of Curriculum:
- To support curriculum delivery including collecting details of learner’s prior achievements, supporting the completion of assessments and diagnostics and ensure timely follow up and intervention for learners at risk.
- To liaise with curriculum and support staff to compile and produce progress reports.
- Communicate with parents and carers in relation to learner’s attendance and progress.
- To liaise with curriculum to support students with UCAS application process including reviewing personal statements writing references and ensuring students applications are completed by the set deadlines.
- To support curriculum staff with student interviews, parents’ evenings, open events and any other activities to showcase and promote the curriculum area.
- To work as an integral part of a curriculum staff team, within College Directorates and undertake any other responsibilities related to curriculum delivery.
Cross-College Activities:- Support the embedding of the Learner Voice Involvement Strategy by co-ordinating the election of Student Representatives.
- To ensure that individuals and all groups of learners have the opportunity to share their views on the College’s provision and provide feedback on teaching, learning and assessment in the context of their programme of study,
- Support the completion of Student Representative feedback and participation at training and learner voice events.
- Support the completion of College surveys to meet College Key Performance Indicators (RARAPA, Arrivals, Satisfaction and any additional surveys in year)
- Support the Student Experience Team to engage learners in enrichment activities and Health and Wellbeing Campaigns
- Support the delivery of the Careers Strategy by working closely with the Work Experience Team, Careers Team and Curriculum Teams to ensure all learners acquire the skills, knowledge and attitudes to manage their learning and career progression.
Additional Duties:
- To contribute to College self-assessment processes.
- To attend internal and external staff development events and take responsibility for own professional development.
- To undertake such other duties as are reasonably allocated either permanently or from time to time.
- To act as an exam invigilator as required
- To complete First Aid qualification and act as a duty first aider as required
- To operate/conduct all HR tasks and functions within the principles of GDPR.
GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITIES- To commit to the safeguarding and promotion of the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults
- To participate in the College’s Performance Management Scheme and attend such training events as are necessary to enable him/her to carry out the duties of the job description.
- To continually improve teaching, learning and assessment through proactive CPD and sharing best practice.
- To actively participate in the College’s Quality System, including quality improvement strategies and initiatives.
- To undertake such other duties as may be assigned commensurate with the grade and purpose of the post.
- To take reasonable care for the health and safety of him/her and for others affected by his/her work.
- To actively support College Safeguarding, Equality and Diversity policies.
- To operate/conduct all HR tasks and functions within the principles of GDPR.
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.
January 2024CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
The appointment is subject to the Conditions of Service for Business Support Staff.
All successful applicants will undergo the following checks:- Enhanced DBS
- 2 x References, one of which must be your current or most recent employer
- Qualification validation check
SALARYThe salary range for this post is from £22,614 to £ 24,760 per annum. Your starting salary will be dependent upon your qualifications and experience. Once you have successfully passed your probationary period, your salary will increase within the salary band on an annual incremental basis, until you reach the top of the salary scale.
HOURS OF WORK
The hours of work will be based on 37 hours per week, 52 weeks per annum.
ANNUAL LEAVEThe post carries 25 annual leave days, plus eight public bank holidays plus a further five concessionary days as ‘leave to be taken at the Principal’s discretion’.
After 2 years continuous service, your annual leave entitlement will increase to 30 days per annum.
Please note that only in exceptional circumstances, with your Directors permission, will staff be able to take more than 3 consecutive weeks of leave in any leave year.
PENSION SCHEMEThe College operates an occupational pension scheme, namely the ‘Local Government Pension Scheme’.
PROBATIONARY PERIODAll newly appointed staff have to serve a 9 month probationary period. During the probationary period you will have to complete the Corporate staff induction, a Teaching and Learning Induction session if you deliver learning and additional mandatory courses on: Equality & Diversity session, Keeping Children safe in Education, Safeguarding Training session, Prevent, GDPR, Cyber Security and Health & Safety training session. Failure to complete these will prevent you from successfully completing your probation.
FIRST AID & FIRE MARSHALLAs defined in the person specification of the job description, those staff with these responsibilities are required to undertake first aid and or fire marshal duties across the College, when called upon to do so. Staff must ensure they are up to date with the relevant training.
REFERENCESAll candidates have to have 2 satisfactory references.
LOCATIONThe successful applicant will be based at Malvern, butmay be required to work at other locations from time to time.
VALIDATION OF QUALIFICATIONSThe 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.
CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENT TO OBTAIN A QUALIFICATIONIf you are required toobtain a qualification as a contractual requirement, the College reviews its CPD budget on an annual basis regarding availability of funds, and cannot therefore guarantee that newly appointed staff will receive either part or full funding for the course fees. However, student loan facilities are available.
MATHS AND ENGLISHAll staff are required to have a minimum level 2 qualification in both English and Maths. If you are not already in receipt of one or both of these qualifications, you will be expected to obtain it (them) during your employment at the College.
SAFEGUARDINGThe 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 during their probationary period.
Heart of Worcestershire College adheres to the Department of Education’s guidance on ‘Keeping children safe in Education’. As part of your induction, you will be required to read and understand part 1 of this document.
ONLINE CHECKSCandidates shortlisted for interview and then subsequently become successful in the recruitment process and prior to a formal offer of employment being made will be subject to online checks being carried out by a neutral party not directly involved in the recruitment process. Consent for these checks was requested at application stage.
DISCLOSURE & BARRING CHECKAll successful applicants will be required to complete and pay for a Disclosure & Barring Service check. The costs of this check will be deducted from the applicants first salary payment from the College. 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.
RECRUITMENT OF EX-OFFENDERSThe 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.
TRAININGAll successful applicants will be required to undertake all mandatory training and update sessions and any appropriate training and development as required, including Health and Safety.
SMOKING POLICYHoW College is a Smoke Free environment from the effects of direct/indirect contact with smoking, including using the following:
- Cigarettes
- E-cigarettes
- Vaporisers
- Pipe smoking
- Cigars
- And all other associated smoking products
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.
APPLICATIONSA completed application form should be submitted. 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 by 8 February via our website at www.howcollege.ac.uk
INTERVIEWSThe 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. College reserves the right to withdraw a position before the closing date if the appointment has been arranged or no longer required.
DATA PROTECTION/GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION (GDPR)Please be aware that HoW College complies with the current Data Protection Act and is currently developing systems to ensure that we will be fully compliant with GDPR when this comes into force in May 2018. GDPR is a European wide update to the Data Protection Act, with more requirements and stronger enforcement. As such we expect all staff to fully comply with the requirements of these legislation. Failure to do so will lead to formal disciplinary action.
Members of staff will be provided with guidance in relation to GDPR to ensure that full compliance is achieved and maintained within the College.
Further information can be obtained by using the following link:https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/
Updated April 2022- Person Specification
Requirements
Attainment (e.g. Qualifications, Experience)
Essential:
- Level 2 (at least) qualification in both Maths and English, or a willingness to gain.
- Teaching qualification or willingness to gain.
Desirable:
- Experience of remote/online delivery
- Previous experience of delivering wider curriculum topics to support the development of learner’s softer skills.
- Safeguarding Training
- A guidance, youth work or teaching qualification or be willing to work towards.
General Skills
Essential:
- Experience in developing and delivering programmes or support towards identified outcomes or objectives.
- First Aid Trained, or willingness to undertake the training and remain up to date
- Fire Marshal duty trained or willingness to undertake the training and remain up to date.
Desirable:
- Experience of mentoring, advocacy, guidance or training/teaching in an educational, or youth work setting.
Specific Special Skills
Essential:
- Familiarity with computer applications, particularly word processing, spreadsheet and database software (ideally Office 365).
- Strong verbal and written communication. To be able to communicate confidently face to face, on the telephone, via video call/Teams as well as in writing
- Resilience to work within a fast paced and rapidly changing environment and manage problems
Desirable:
- Able to assist people in setting SMART targets and achieving them
- The capacity to arrange and deliver intervention or guidance strategies.
Disposition/Personal Qualities
Essential:
- Ability to prioritise and manage own workload
- Flexibility
- Able to respond to change
- Good time management
Desirable:
- Ability to be self-directed and work without supervision.
General Points
Essential:
No Essential General Points
Desirable:
No Desirable General Points
