Learning Support Practitioner

Role: Learning Support Practitioner

Location: Bedford Campus, Cauldwell Street, Bedford MK42 9AH

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £25,585 and £30,915 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays,People’s Pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 37 hours per week / 37 weeks per year

Contract Type: Term-time, permanent

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have theRight to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About the role:

We are currently seeking a Learning Support Practitioner to join our Foundation and Additional Learning Support department at The Bedford College Group.

As a Learning Support Practitioner, you play an important role in the success of our students through:

• Personalised Learner Support - Provide tailored support to SEND learners, removing barriers to learning and helping them access the curriculum, develop confidence and independence, and achieve their individual targets.
• Inclusive Learning & Development - Use appropriate strategies and scaffolding to support communication, behaviour regulation, social development and study skills, working with teaching staff to promote inclusive and differentiated learning.
• Progress Monitoring & EHCP Outcomes - Observe, record and report on learner progress and impact, contributing evidence to EHCP reviews, progress meetings and curriculum planning to ensure support remains responsive to individual needs.
• Collaboration & Professional Practice - Work closely with teachers, ALS colleagues, therapists, parents/carers and external professionals to provide holistic support, while undertaking relevant professional development and contributing to continuous improvement.
• Safe & Inclusive Practice - Help create safe, supportive environments where learners can thrive, while promoting consistent SEND practice and fulfilling responsibilities for safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, and ongoing training.

About you:

• Qualifications & SEND Knowledge - Level 3 qualification in Learning Support, Education or a related field, with Level 2 Maths and English and knowledge of current SEND reforms and expectations for inclusive practice.
• SEND & Educational Experience - Experience supporting learners with SEND or additional needs in education or care settings, with FE, specialist provision, multi-agency and complex learning or medical needs experience beneficial.
• Communication & Digital Skills - Strong literacy, numeracy, communication and digital skills, including Microsoft Office, with the ability to observe, record and report learner progress clearly and professionally.
• Learner-Focused & Inclusive Approach - Able to build positive and trusting relationships, use effective support strategies and promote learners’ independence, resilience, self-advocacy and positive outcomes.
• Flexibility, Safeguarding & Mobility - Calm, adaptable and committed to safeguarding, with the ability to support mobility and personal care needs, work flexibly across College sites and travel independently using a full UK driving licence and own vehicle.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: on a date to be confirmed

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisationalVISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group
The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students
The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.

Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.