The Quay jobs in Poole

Learning Mentor – The Quay School (Harbourside Campus)

SEN Teaching Assistant

£27,274 – £29,071 per annum (actual salary for Term Time only £23,340 – £24,878)

37 hours per week, Term Time only, Permanent

Please note: A clean driving licence and access to your own vehicle with business insurance is essential.

The Quay School is OFSTED rated Outstanding, a National Teaching School Hub and a progressive educational establishment that supports young people through difficult times in their lives. Our tagline is ‘A Place to Belong and Flourish’ because we believe every child deserves that.

Are you looking for a fresh challenge?

We are an Alternative Provision school spread across 4 campuses; each catering to students with specific Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. This means we think of our students as individuals and respond to their needs as such. Our aim for our students is for them to become knowledgeable, self-aware, independent and happy people who make a positive difference, wherever life takes them. The PACE approach is integral to the work we do. We also draw on Solution-focussed brief therapy, Growth Mindset, Unconditional Positive Regard, Restorative Justice, Pro-social modelling and the key principles of trauma-informed practice. Some knowledge of these approaches is desirable but not essential, however an eagerness to embrace them is essential!

Are you looking to improve your work/life balance?

We know working in schools can be stressful and it is easy to give over a lot of your personal time to work. We strongly believe that work should not take over every aspect of your life in order to support both your physical and mental health. And so;

• We limit paperwork and meetings to the necessary,
• Finish at 1pm on a Friday,
• Have a robust staff wellbeing programme in place that is constantly evolving.

Who are we looking for? What does the job involve?

We require someone to work with students on our Harbourside base, these students struggle with their social, emotional and mental health which has resulted in them being excluded from mainstream school. This role needs someone who can form positive relationships with these young people to do this you will need to show patience, care and understanding. You will receive training to support you in this role. You will be part of an inclusive and collaborative team that, no matter what the challenge may be, are ready to

face it head on and are committed to seeing it through. You will need to be flexible, resilient and positive. It will involve both supporting students in class as well as some one to one work with them; this will be both reactive and pro-active. You may also need to go off-site to meet with students and so your own transport with the correct insurance will be needed at times (mileage is fully reimbursed). Previous experience of working with young people with additional needs is desired but not essential, although a reasonable grasp of basic IT programmes is a must.

The Quay School is part of Southern Education Trust. The Trust’s ethos is encompassed in our vision “Making Lives Better” and our values of kindness, collaboration and creativity.

We put this into practice by ensuring:

• All decisions are made in the best interests of staff, students and families.
• High support, high challenge and evidence informed in everything we do.
• We work collaboratively and make team, not individual, decisions.
• We acknowledge our mistakes and use them to learn and improve.
• We are always open to learning and seeking new ideas.

This role is based on our Harbourside Campus, Turlin Road, BH16 5AH. Visits are welcome, please contact Dan Beck – d.beck@thequayschool.com

Closing date: 14th June 2026

Interview date: 23rd June 2026

Become part of our journey by completing our Support Staff Application Form and returning it to recruitment@southern.education if you would like to apply please see our Learning Mentor Job Description and TQS – Child Protection-and-Safeguarding-Policy-2025-2026 for further information.

(Click apply to be taken to our website, where links to all of the above documents can be found)

If you have any questions, please contact Kate at the recruitment address, who will be happy to assist you.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, this role involves directly working with children and significant contact with children, and therefore we expect all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Please ensure a full work history is completed in your application form including any gaps of employment. Applicants will be required to complete satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check for this post prior to commencement. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The Trust is an equal opportunities employer.

If successfully shortlisted the HR Department will also be conducting an individual online search including social media platforms of your ‘name, education and employment’, to demonstrate due diligence following ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ guidance. The search will not form part of the actual shortlisting process and any concerns arising from the search will be discussed directly with you.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £23,340.00-£24,878.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Enhanced maternity leave
• Enhanced paternity leave
• Sick pay

Work Location: In person