Specialist Learning Support Practitioner – SEMH

Specialist Learning Support Practitioner – SEMH

Hours: 37 hours per week during term time for 40 weeks per year
Salary: £27,414 to £28,233 pro rata per annum. Plus generous benefits including: 

•    Generous Occupational Pension Scheme

About the role
Are you passionate about making a difference to the lives of students with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) difficulties?

As a Specialist Learning Support Practitioner, you will play a crucial role in supporting students’ emotional wellbeing and helping them overcome barriers to learning. You will:
•    Provide Targeted Support: Offer one-to-one and small group interventions to students with SEMH needs, focusing on emotional regulation, social skills, self-esteem, and coping strategies
•    Develop Individual Support Plans: Create and implement ISPs or BSPs tailored to students’ emotional and behavioural needs
•    Collaborate with Staff and External Professionals: Work closely with teachers, the Wellbeing team and other co-professionals, and external agencies to ensure comprehensive support for students
•    Promote a Positive Learning Environment: Foster a safe and supportive atmosphere that encourages students to engage fully with the academic curriculum and develop holistically
•    Monitor and Report Progress: Track students’ emotional and behavioural development, providing regular feedback to relevant stakeholders.

About the Person
You are a dedicated and empathetic professional with:
•    Experience: Proven experience working with students who have SEMH difficulties, particularly within an educational setting. Experience in providing one-to-one or group interventions and collaborating with teachers and external agencies
•    Qualifications: Relevant qualifications in Special Educational Needs (SEN), mental health, social work, or education. A recognised qualification in supporting mental health or SEMH is essential
•    Skills and Knowledge: In-depth understanding of SEMH difficulties and therapeutic interventions. Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trusting relationships with students and staff
•    Personal Attributes: Empathy, patience, and resilience. A proactive and solution-focused approach to overcoming barriers to learning. Commitment to inclusion and equality, ensuring all students have an equal opportunity to succeed.

About the College
We are a large, regional college serving a population across York and North Yorkshire of more one million people. Each year, we have approximately 4,000 school leavers, 1,000 apprentices, 2,000 adult students, and 400 higher-level students studying with us. 
Our wide range of education options span entry level programmes through to degrees, higher technical qualifications, and accredited professional courses to courses for professional development. Our apprenticeships can be studied from level 2 to level 5 across a range of different career pathways. We are the largest provider of A-Level and vocational programmes for school leavers in the region; we offer nearly 35 A-Level subjects and over 80 vocational courses, including a wide range of T-Level pathways.

We are proud to be part of a consortium of colleges and employers developing the Yorkshire and Humber Institute of Technology (IoT), designed to increase higher level technical skills for employers.

With a vibrant working environment, excellent transport links to the city centre and surrounding area, plus on-site parking, you will find York College to be fulfilling and supportive place to work. As a member of College staff you will have full use of the College facilities including free gym membership at the Athletic Suite, our brand new state of the art gym.

Please visit our website: www.yorkcollege.ac.uk 

Want to know more? 
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Nathan Edwards, Head of Additional Learning Support, at Nathan-Edwards@yorkcollege.ac.uk / 01904 770211.

Important Notices
Please see attached document for important notices.
Please note that we do not accept CV applications. If you are viewing this vacancy through any job board then please go to our website www.yorkcollege.ac.uk/job-vacancies and apply using our application form.

Most correspondence regarding vacancies will be sent via email, so please check your emails regularly for updates on your application. We would also advise to check your junk/spam folder as some emails may end up here depending on your mail provider settings.

Closing date: 26 May 2025 (9am)
Interviews: 3 June 2025

We are deeply committed to diversity and inclusion and wish to have a diverse workforce. We positively welcome applicants from all under-represented groups, including minority ethnic groups and those with disabilities. We are proud to be affiliated to the Black Leadership Group (BLG).

As an employer we are committed to promoting and protecting the physical and mental health and well-being of all our staff.  York College has signed up to the ‘Mindful Employer’ charter for employers who are positive about mental health.  We are also a certified Disability Confident Employer.  Disability Confident is a government scheme designed to encourage employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with health conditions.

We welcome job applications from anyone who has the requisite skills, qualifications and experience. All applications are considered strictly on merit. Our aim is to appoint the best person for the job, regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age or any other ‘protected’ characteristic. Please note also that we value the contribution of those who have served in the Armed Forces, and are signatories to the Armed Forces Covenant.