Lead Tutor (Focus: Sports) in Reading

Type: Permanent, Full Time, All-year-round

Do you have the leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and people‑first approach to guide a team and inspire young people who haven’t thrived in mainstream education?

At New Meaning Training (NMT), we support young people aged 16–25 who need a more practical, relational and supportive route into adulthood, work and independence.

Many learners arrive with low confidence, anxiety or additional needs such as autism, ADHD or social‑emotional challenges — they need steady adults who can lead by example.

We are recruiting a Lead Tutor (SETPD – Sports Focus) for our Reading centre.

While this pathway includes sport, movement and physical activity, this role is primarily about leading people, shaping quality and modelling excellent relational practice.

You will coach and support tutors, guide behaviour and engagement strategies, oversee planning and delivery, and help create a consistent, calm, trauma‑informed learning environment.

You will also deliver a reduced timetable of SETPD sessions, showing staff how to use physical activity and practical learning to build confidence, teamwork, communication and emotional regulation — with sport as a vehicle, not the end goal.

If you’re an experienced tutor, coach, youth worker or mentor with strong leadership instincts — or a current team lead looking for more responsibility — we will support you with training and professional development to thrive in this role.

Above all, we’re looking for someone who puts relationships first and believes in the potential of young people who have been told they can’t succeed.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support a team of tutors, teaching assistants and learning support assistants within the SETPD pathway
• Contribute to and oversee the planning of SETPD sessions, schemes of work and curriculum design
• Deliver engaging SETPD sessions with a sport, movement or activity‑based focus, modelling trauma‑informed, relational practice
• Support learners to develop employability and life skills such as routines, goal setting, self‑management and positive attitudes to work
• Work 1:1 and with small groups, adapting sessions to different needs, abilities and confidence levels
• Encourage regular attendance, participation and engagement, reinforcing the link between effort and progression
• Guide and support tutors in embedding Functional Skills Maths and English within practical learning
• Build strong, trusting relationships with learners, using trauma‑informed approaches and supporting staff to do the same
• Coach staff on behaviour support strategies and lead responses to hard‑to‑engage learners
• Maintain accurate records relating to learner progress, engagement and development, and support staff in doing the same
• Contribute to learner induction, reviews and progression planning, supporting staff with paperwork and processes
• Work appropriately with parents/carers, support services and external agencies where required
• Reflect on your own practice, engage in leadership CPD and support the development of your team

About Us

New Meaning Training (NMT) offers education with a difference.

We are an apprenticeship training and education provider dedicated to helping young people aged 16–25 discover their strengths and develop the confidence and skills to earn their own living.

Our programmes tailor to the needs of learners, including SEND and SEMH support, and embed a Loving Care Approach of trauma‑informed practice.

Benefits

• Generous annual leave
• 20 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Up to 10 additional “gifted” days off each year (taken during school holiday periods)
• Annual leave increases with length of service, up to a maximum of 24 days
• Pension
• Autoenrolment into The People’s Pension
• 5% employee contribution with 3% employer contribution
• Blue Light Card
• Access to national discounts (retail, food, travel, days out)
• Admin fee fully reimbursed by NMT
• Service recognition
• Additional annual leave for long‑service
• Gift rewards at key milestones (e. g., 5 and 10 years)
• Annual flu vaccination voucher
• Birthday gift voucher
• Cycle to Work scheme (salary sacrifice)
• Electric Vehicle scheme via Octopus Energy (salary sacrifice)
• Green Travel to Work initiatives with rewards for participation
• A supportive, values‑led workplace
• Strong focus on staff wellbeing, development, and collaboration
• Training and CPD supported as part of your role
• The opportunity to make a meaningful difference in young people’s lives

You will have

• A recognised teaching or tutoring qualification (e. g. Level 3 Award in Education & Training)
• At least 3 years experience working with young people aged 16–25, particularly those with SEND and/or SEMH needs
• Experience leading, supervising or mentoring staff (education, youth work, coaching or care)
• A natural ability to build rapport and motivate disengaged young people
• Confidence using movement, activity or practical approaches as tools to support engagement and wellbeing
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with a calm and consistent leadership style
• A flexible and adaptable mindset, able to respond to learner and staff need
• Openness to trauma‑informed, relational practice and willingness to model this for others
• Strong organisational skills, including planning, record‑keeping and supporting others to stay on track
• Emotional resilience, patience and a reflective leadership approach
• Willingness to learn, develop new skills and engage in ongoing CPD

Desirable but not essential (training can be provided)

• Experience delivering or supporting Functional Skills English and Maths (Entry Level–Level 2)
• Experience planning structured sessions, schemes of work or curriculum content
• Experience completing learner records, assessments or qualification paperwork
• Experience tracking learner progress against EHCP outcomes or programme targets
• Experience supporting other staff to develop their practice
• Confident use of digital systems for learning, tracking or reporting
• A full UK driving licence and access to a business‑insured vehicle
• Checks
• This post involves regulated activity and is subject to an Enhanced DBS check (including a Children’s Barred List check) and satisfactory professional references.
• Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA): This role is exempt from the ROA 1974.

Applicants must disclose all convictions and cautions that are not ‘protected’ under the Exceptions Order 1975 (as amended 2013 and 2020).

For guidance on which offences are ‘filtered’ and do not need to be disclosed, please refer to the DBS filtering guide.

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