Pastoral/Life Coach (Project-based Learning)

Salary; £29,502 per annum + benefits

Hours; Full time (37hrs per week, all year round)

Duration; Permanent

Location; Dearne Valley College, Rotherham (with occasion support at Idle Valley, Notts)

Are you a compassionate and experienced mentor ready to empower young lives?

We're looking for a dedicated Pastoral/Life Coach (Project-Based Learning) to provide specialist support to learners at Entry 3 and Level 1 within our further education college. This vital role focuses on enhancing the learning and skills development of students with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, those who have been Electively Home Educated (EHE), and individuals with no prior qualifications or limited formal education experience.

If you have a knack for building trusting relationships and helping vulnerable young people develop confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging, this is the role for you. You'll be a key player in removing barriers to learning, working closely with teaching staff, support teams, and external agencies to ensure every student can succeed.

About the Role

As a Pastoral/Life Coach, you'll be at the heart of our students' journey, providing tailored support and guidance. Your key responsibilities will include:

Assessing student needs and delivering one-to-one and small-group mentoring to support personal and emotional development.
Providing supportive interventions that enable students to access learning, particularly in our predominantly outdoor and nature-based educational settings, which take place in conservation/woodland areas, all-weather sports areas, or natural environments.
Utilising restorative and trauma-informed approaches to help students recognise triggers, manage emotions, and promote positive interactions.
Acting as a trusted adult and key contact, building strong, positive relationships that encourage students to interact, cooperate, and engage in all activities.
Working alongside lecturers to embed pastoral and youth coaching support directly within Project-Based Learning activities, using coaching frameworks and positive psychology.
Implementing positive behaviour support plans tailored to individual students and monitoring their impact, as well as supporting students in resolving conflicts using restorative approaches.
Frequently monitoring and recording student attendance and incremental progress, adapting support and coaching strategies to ensure the best possible outcomes.
Collaborating closely with lecturers, tutors, support teams, and safeguarding teams to create a holistic and inclusive learning environment, liaising with parents, carers, and external agencies as needed.
Maintaining accurate records of student progress, interventions, and support plans, and upholding our safeguarding, equality, diversity, and inclusion policies.

You will…

You'll be a passionate and empathetic individual with a strong commitment to empowering young people. We're seeking someone who:

Has experience in coaching, mentoring, and supporting vulnerable young people.
Experience of working with young people with SEN, SEMH needs, EHE backgrounds or additional barriers to learning.
Is skilled in building trust and fostering confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging in education.
Can assess student needs and use specialist skills and knowledge to enhance learning and skills development.
Is adept at promoting student independence and self-reliance, recognising and rewarding achievements.
Can establish productive working relationships, acting as a role model and setting high expectations for students.
Is able to motivate and encourage students to develop self-awareness and strategies for reaching their goals.
Can help students develop crucial soft skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
Is experienced in providing group activities focusing on emotional well-being, self-awareness, citizenship, confidence building, and behaviour modification.
Can assist in differentiating tasks and assistive resources to ensure accessibility and engagement for students with complex barriers to learning.
Is prepared to work within a challenging environment with learners who have complex support needs, offering every learner a second chance and a fresh start each day.

You will hold a Level 2 (or equivalent) qualification in English and Maths (or be willing to undertake). Additionally, you may have a SEND or related qualification and/or coaching/mentoring qualification working with young people but this is not essential.

Department Info

You will report to the Director of Inclusive Curriculum (HNs, PBL, 14-16) at a designated campus. You'll be an integral part of a supportive team, working alongside other Pastoral Coaches, Lecturers, Job Coaches, and Learning Support Assistants to provide comprehensive care for our students.

Our excellent benefits and rewards package:

Access to local government scheme
Up to 44 days annual leave per year including closure during Christmas period
Access to our gyms, restaurants and salons
Staff health & wellbeing and benefits schemes including in-house Occupational Health service
Full, part time and flexible working hours available in many roles
Parking available at all of our sites
Fantastic career development opportunities including funding for teacher training, apprenticeships and various other industry recognised qualifications
New FE teachers can also apply for grants of up to £6,000 in STEM subjects (conditions apply) through the levelling up premium payments initiative
Recruitment Referral Scheme for all employees, worth up to £200 per referral made

What is the RNN Group?

RNN Group’s main goal is to be an ‘outstanding’ education and training provider and this is at the heart of everything that we do. To help us achieve this we are looking to recruit highly motivated, innovative and dynamic individuals to join our existing teams. To be a part of the team at RNN Group we will expect you to be committed to our values too;

We are Inclusive,
We have Integrity,
We Deliver,
We are One Team.

We are OFSTED ‘Good’ (November 2022)

We celebrate diversity and are proud to have been recognised as Investors in Diversity for our commitment to the FREDIE (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement) Model. This means that you’d be working in a supportive environment that encourages, recognises and celebrates effort, achievement and cooperative attitudes. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, faith or disability. We are also proud to be part of the Disability Confidence Scheme.

The RNN Group is proud to be part of the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology (SYIoT).

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, vulnerable adults and young people. All new employees will be required undertake a DBS check and other associated checks in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidance.

All candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK.

Closing date: Monday 3 November 2025 – if you are shortlisted for this post you will be contacted within a week of the closing date.

Provisional Interview Date: Friday 7 November 2025

FE Learning Support jobs in Rotherham

Pastoral/Life Coach (Project-based Learning)

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