Additional Learning Support Practitioner

Milton Keynes College have an exciting opportunity for an Additional Learning Support Practitioner to join our Prison Education team at HMP Belmarsh. As a successful Learning Support Practitioner, you will be someone who is able to inspire and assist learners throughout their academic and vocational studies. The requirement of this role is to work across the whole prison estate, on all wings where education is delivered.

You will be a passionate, creative and empathetic towards our learners and be able to offer knowledge and guidance to our learners.

Responsibilities include:

• Skills assessment and highlighting specific learning needs
• Provision of ALS within accredited learning programmes
• Focused learning support for English and Maths, leading to employability outcomes
• Effective target setting to meet individual needs; including personal, social and educational targets
• Inspirational learning support small group and one to one learning 
• An holistic approach to improving learner skills to support transition into a relevant career pathway 
• Providing appropriate support in formal assessment 
• Coordinate the allocation of support to ALS students

Location: HMP Belmarsh, London, SE28 0EB
Hours: 37 hours per week, 52 weeks per year
Salary: £18,015 - £21,522 per annum 
Closing date: Sunday 8th September 2019

About HMP Belmarsh:

Belmarsh became operational on 2nd April 1991, and is a local prison, serving primarily the Central Criminal Court and magistrates Courts in SE London. In addition the establishment serves Crown and Magistrates Courts in SW Essex. Belmarsh has a dual role in that it also holds Category A prisoners. The prison currently has approximately 850 prisoners on site. 

The education department is located on 2 levels, containing several classrooms and staff offices. The curriculum consists of but not limited to Maths, English, ICT, Business, ESOL and Catering. There are workshops located on site for the vocational courses such as plumbing.

The department is spacious and bright with large classrooms and good facilities. There is also a library which is open and well-lit, and has a vast range of material for the learners to access.

Vulnerable Prisoners have access to education once a week and their use of the library will be separate to the rest of the learners. Education with the Cat A and remand prisoners will run separately to the VPs. The age and the ability of the learners is varied from class to class. The education team is engaging and dedicated to the success of learners. Belmarsh has a positive response from their learners within education.

There are 2x prison officers within the education department at all times whilst learners are present. 

As a successful candidate you will:

• Have a good basic general education including GCSE (or equivalent) Maths and English at Grade C.
• Hold an NVQ2/NVQ3 Teaching Assistant qualification or be willing to work towards.
• Have experience of working in a learning environment.
• Have well-developed interpersonal skills in relating to prison staff and in working with students who may have little experience of education and training.
• Be computer literate and willing to improve your IT skills.
• Have the ability to work as part of a team and on their own initiative.
• Have good organisational skills and be able to meet deadlines.

More about the College:

Milton Keynes College is proud to be an open and inclusive general Further Education College welcoming learners of all levels and delivering an exceptional educational experience. The College offers a broad range of qualifications with more than 3,000 16 – 18-year-old full-time students studying vocational courses, apprenticeships and Higher Education at our campuses in Milton Keynes. In addition, the College delivers employability and skills training programmes to 3,000 people in local community learning centres. For nearly 30 years, we have worked with offenders in both custody, and the wider community and currently work with 19 prisons across England; this includes 13 prisons, which make up the Long Term High Security Estate, and 6 category B, C & D men’s prisons.
Milton Keynes College is a committed safer recruitment employer in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. We take extreme care in ensuring the safety and welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All positions therefore undergo a thorough on boarding process to include DBS. In addition, security clearance is required for all prison services positions.

Milton Keynes College has been officially recognised for its commitment and approach to equality, diversity and inclusion. It has been awarded the much sought-after Leaders in Diversity accreditation from the National Centre for Diversity. The award recognises the College’s clear ethos and values and a belief in the importance of diversity.

Please apply via the link.