Learning Mentor Nurture Dog

Learning Mentor working with Nurture Dog

Job . ECCS Position Type:
Teaching/Child Support Pay Range:
Scale 6 Point 17

Position

Start Date:

Immediate Contract Type:
Full-time/Part-time Contract Term:
Permanent

Application Close: 09/10/2026 Midday Date of Interviews: 15th October 2026

Salary:
Scale 6

Hours:

32.5 per week

Contract:

Permanent

Start Date:

Immediate Start

Location:

White Hall Academy

Do you have a passion for helping children to feel confident, supported and ready to learn?

Are you someone who enjoys building positive relationships with children, spending time outdoors and finding creative ways to help children manage their emotions and behaviour?

We are looking for an enthusiastic, caring and nurturing Learning Mentor with Nurture Dog to join our team.

This is a particularly special role. Our nurture dog will be an important part of your work with children, and you will spend a significant part of your day outdoors, taking individual children and small groups on supervised walks with the dog.

These walks will be much more than simply exercise for the dog. They will provide opportunities to build trusting relationships with children, have meaningful conversations, support emotional regulation, develop confidence and self-esteem, encourage positive behaviour and help children to feel ready to engage with learning.

You might be walking alongside a child who needs some quiet time after a difficult morning, supporting a small group to develop their communication and social skills, or using time outdoors with the dog to help a child talk through something that is worrying them.

About the role

As our Learning Mentor, you will work with identified pupils who may experience social, emotional and behavioural difficulties or who need additional support to engage positively with school.

You will:

• build positive and trusting relationships with children;
• provide individual and small-group mentoring and nurture support;
• undertake regular nurture walks with children and our nurture dog;
• use outdoor activities and time with the dog as purposeful mentoring opportunities;
• support children to develop emotional regulation, resilience, confidence and positive relationships;
• provide support when children are experiencing behavioural or emotional difficulties;
• work alongside teachers, LSAs, MDAs and the Pastoral Lead to develop appropriate support strategies;
• contribute to behaviour and pastoral support plans and monitor pupils' progress;
• support lunchtime and nurture activities;
• communicate appropriately with parents/carers and relevant professionals;
• maintain accurate records of interventions, behaviour and pupil progress; and
• follow all safeguarding, health and safety, risk assessment and animal welfare arrangements.

This is not a classroom-based role. The successful candidate will need to enjoy being active, working outdoors and using practical, nurturing activities to support children. Regular walks with the nurture dog will be a significant and integral part of the working day.

About you

We are looking for someone who is:

• warm, approachable and able to build trusting relationships with children;
• calm and patient, particularly when children are experiencing difficulties;
• confident in supporting children with social, emotional and behavioural needs;
• creative in finding ways to engage children who may find the classroom environment challenging;
• comfortable working outdoors and undertaking regular walks with children;
• genuinely interested in using nurture and relationship-based approaches to support children;
• able to communicate effectively with children, colleagues and parents/carers;
• organised and able to maintain accurate records;
• able to work independently while being an effective member of the wider school team; and
• committed to…