At a Glance
- Tasks: Support young people with challenging behaviour and help them improve their engagement and confidence.
- Company: SENDhelp, a specialist recruitment agency focused on supporting young people.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, dedicated consultant support, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Join a supportive team and grow your career in a meaningful role.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of young people while developing your mentoring skills.
- Qualifications: Experience supporting children or young adults with SEMH needs or challenging behaviour.
The predicted salary is between 28568 - 34916 £ per year.
SENDhelp is recruiting an experienced Positive Behaviour Mentor for a specialist secondary SEMH school in West Drayton. The school supports pupils from Year 7 through to sixth form who have social, emotional and mental health needs and may display challenging behaviour. This role is suited to someone who can build strong relationships, maintain clear boundaries and help young people improve their behaviour, confidence and engagement over time.
Applicants must have direct experience supporting children or young adults with challenging behaviour, SEMH needs or significant emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Location: West Drayton
Setting: Specialist secondary SEMH school
Age range: Approximately 11-18
Working pattern: Full-time, Monday to Friday
Preferred: School-based SEMH, behaviour or pastoral experience
About the role
As a Positive Behaviour Mentor, you will work closely with pupils who may struggle with emotional regulation, relationships, trust, attendance and engagement with education. Some pupils may have experienced exclusion, disrupted education, trauma or difficult personal circumstances. Behaviour can be challenging, and there may be situations involving refusal, confrontation, verbal aggression or significant emotional dysregulation. Your role will be to provide calm, consistent support while helping pupils understand their behaviour, make better choices and re-engage with learning. Progress may be gradual, so the successful candidate must be patient, resilient and able to continue building relationships after difficult incidents.
What you will be doing
- Building positive and professional relationships with pupils
- Providing one-to-one mentoring and targeted behavioural support
- Helping pupils identify triggers and develop regulation strategies
- Supporting pupils during lessons, transitions and less structured periods
- Using de-escalation techniques to manage challenging situations
- Reinforcing clear expectations, routines and boundaries
- Supporting pupils following incidents and helping them reflect on their choices
- Encouraging improved attendance, engagement and participation
- Delivering structured interventions focused on behaviour, confidence and wellbeing
- Working closely with teachers, pastoral staff and safeguarding teams
- Following behaviour plans, risk assessments and individual support strategies
- Recording incidents, interventions and pupil progress accurately
- Supporting pupils’ social, emotional and personal development
To be considered for this Positive Behaviour Mentor role, you must have direct experience supporting children or young adults with challenging behaviour, SEMH needs or significant emotional and behavioural difficulties. Relevant experience may have been gained in:
- A pupil referral unit or alternative provision
- A mainstream school in a pastoral or behaviour role
- Youth work
- Youth offending services
- Residential support
- Supported accommodation
- The prison or probation system
- Mental health services
- Community or outreach programmes
- A formal care or support setting
What we are looking for
- Have strong experience supporting challenging behaviour
- Be calm, confident and emotionally resilient
- Build trust while maintaining firm professional boundaries
- Communicate clearly without becoming confrontational
- Use de-escalation and restorative approaches effectively
- Be able to rebuild relationships following difficult incidents
- Understand that behaviour may communicate an unmet need
- Be consistent, reliable and patient
- Work effectively with teaching, pastoral and safeguarding staff
- Be comfortable supporting young people through setbacks
- Be able to travel reliably to West Drayton
- Be committed to safeguarding and promoting pupil welfare
Previous experience within an SEMH school is strongly preferred. However, candidates from relevant youth work, youth justice, residential, prison, probation or behavioural support backgrounds are also encouraged to apply.
Why consider this opportunity?
- Build meaningful relationships with young people who need consistent support
- Help pupils improve their behaviour and engagement over time
- Work within a specialist secondary SEMH setting
- Develop experience in mentoring, pastoral care and behaviour intervention
- Work alongside experienced teaching, pastoral and therapeutic professionals
- Strengthen your skills in de-escalation and relationship-based practice
- Take on a role where your consistency can make a lasting difference
This role will involve difficult situations and challenging days. It will suit someone who remains steady under pressure and finds genuine purpose in helping young people move forward.
What SENDhelp offers
- Competitive PAYE pay with no umbrella-company deductions
- A dedicated consultant throughout your placement
- Interview preparation and ongoing support
- Access to relevant professional development and training
- Support with registration, compliance and onboarding
- Opportunities with SENDhelp partner schools across West Drayton and West London
This is a strong opportunity for an experienced Positive Behaviour Mentor who is confident managing challenging behaviour and wants to support secondary-aged pupils in West Drayton. As a specialist SEND recruiter, child safety and welfare is our number one priority. That is why we conduct thorough checks on all our candidates, and ensure that they abide by our Candidate Code of Conduct. All Candidates will be required to provide an Enhanced DBS that is actively registered on the Update Service, or apply for one as part of the onboarding process. This is in addition to other mandatory compliance checks in line with the DfE guidelines. For further information please see our Safer Recruitment Policy. SENDhelp is an equal opportunities employer.
Positive Behaviour Mentor in West Drayton employer: SENDhelp
Join a dedicated team as an SEN Tutor in Staines, where you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Our supportive work culture fosters professional development through ongoing training and collaboration, ensuring that you can grow your skills while helping learners achieve their potential. With a focus on inclusivity and personal growth, this role offers a rewarding career path in a vibrant community close to Heathrow.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Positive Behaviour Mentor in West Drayton
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at SENDhelp.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from SENDhelp!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like SENDhelp, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at SENDhelp or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Positive Behaviour Mentor in West Drayton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to SENDhelp:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to SENDhelp! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at SENDhelp
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
