Specialist Teaching Assistant - SEMH Mentor

Role: SEMH Mentor (Looked After Children / LAC Focus)

Academy: Outwood Academy Bishopsgarth (Stockton-on-Tees)

Start Date: As soon as possible

Salary: £26,696 (Actual Salary)

Working Pattern: 32.5 Hours Per Week, Term Time + 5 Days (1-Year Fixed Term)

Become a reliable anchor for a young person who needs it most.

Being a Key Adult for a Looked After Child (LAC) is far more than an administrative title; it is about becoming a consistent, safe harbour in a world that has often been unstable.

In partnership with the Stockton Virtual School, Outwood Academy Bishopsgarth is seeking a compassionate, resilient, and dedicated SEMH Mentor. In this role, you will not just support academic progress, you will offer unconditional positive regard, help repair relational trauma, and build the secure attachment necessary for young people to thrive at GCSE level and beyond.

What you will do:

• Be a Daily Safe Harbour: Meet key students at the start of the day, provide emotional regulation support, celebrate small victories, and offer a quiet space when things become overwhelming.
• Build Targeted Strategies: Work directly with vulnerable students to develop regulating and coping mechanisms that remove barriers to learning.
• Advocate and Collaborate: Act as a fierce advocate for Looked After Children, coordinating closely with teachers, Stockton Virtual School, and external stakeholders to ensure bespoke adaptations are in place.
• Track Impact: Keep track of attendance and progress, using simple data insights to showcase how targeted interventions are helping students succeed.

What we are looking for:

• Empathy and Resilience: A deep understanding of trauma-informed practice, relational boundaries, and the invisible burdens vulnerable children carry into the classroom every day.
• Relevant Experience: A background in mentoring, youth work, pastoral care, or supporting young people with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.
• High Expectations: A firm belief that every young person, regardless of their background, deserves the opportunity to transform their life through a quality education.

As a SEMH Mentor, you will drive student success by providing tailored guidance, encouragement, and practical support. Working with pupils, you will help them navigate complex barriers to learning—focusing on developing emotional regulation and coping strategies, boosting motivation, and inspiring higher aspirations.

Candidates must be knowledgeable of the needs of students with learning difficulties and disabilities and the SEND Code of Practice. An understanding of Attachment Aware and Trauma Informed practice would be desirable.

Why join Outwood Academy Bishopsgarth?

Located near key commuting routes in Stockton-on-Tees, Bishopsgarth is an improving school with a massive heart. We serve our local community with a relentless moral purpose.

• Invested Leadership: We invest heavily in our staff's workload, wellbeing, and professional development.
• Strong Relationships: Our staff know our students and families well, fostering a supportive community where you will feel valued from day one.

How to apply and next steps

Want to see our school in action or discuss the role before applying? We would love to welcome you for a visit!

• Questions or School Visits: Please contact Abigail Davies at a.davies@bishopsgarth.outwood.com

Please note, we reserve the right to close advertisements early, either on the advertised closing date, or sooner if required.

Outwood Grange Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All appointments are made in accordance with safer recruitment practices and the statutory guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education. Online checks will be carried out on all shortlisted candidates, and all appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and checks regarding suitability to work with children.