Behaviour Mentor Tameside or Wythenshawe

Salary: £23,600£25,200
Contract: Term-Time Only
Hours: MondayFriday, 8:15am4:00pm
Location: Tameside/Wythenshawe
Employer: Top Marks Education (Recruiting on behalf of a specialist SEMH school)

About the Role

Top Marks Education is proud to be supporting a specialist SEMH provision in Greater Manchester in recruiting an experienced and compassionate Behaviour Mentor. This role is ideal for someone who is passionate about helping young people overcome barriers, build resilience, and re-engage positively with learning.

As a Behaviour Mentor, you will work with pupils who present with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs, often shaped by trauma, adverse childhood experiences, or complex personal circumstances. Your approach will be relational, therapeutic, and rooted in empathy creating safe and trusting connections that enable pupils to thrive.

You will work 1:1 and in small groups, helping pupils understand the factors behind their behaviour, develop emotional regulation strategies, and build confidence both in and out of the classroom. Your guidance will support their academic progress, emotional wellbeing, social skills, and preparation for adulthood.

This is a rewarding opportunity to make a lasting difference in a young person’s life.

Key Responsibilities

1. Understanding Needs & Planning Support

• Complete holistic assessments of pupils’ social, emotional, and behavioural needs.
• Develop individualised intervention plans tailored to each pupil’s profile and support requirements.

2. Direct Therapeutic Support

• Deliver regular 1:1 mentoring to help pupils explore emotions, triggers, and behavioural responses.
• Lead small-group SEMH sessions focusing on emotional literacy, social skills, teamwork, and positive peer interaction.
• Build trusting, nurturing relationships using traumainformed and relational approaches.

3. Behaviour Intervention & Personalised Planning

• Create, deliver, and review personalised behaviour support plans and risk reduction plans.
• Use restorative and child-centred approaches to support positive behavioural change.
• Help pupils reintegrate following incidents or difficult periods.

4. Classroom & Learning Support

• Support pupils in lessons to maintain engagement and regulate emotions.
• Model consistent, calm, and therapeutic approaches for staff and pupils.
• Work with teaching staff to adapt routines and expectations as needed.

5. Monitoring, Reporting & Evaluation

• Record progress through observations, behaviour logs, safeguarding notes, and intervention records.
• Use data to inform future support and measure sustained progress.

6. Emotional, Social & Wellbeing Support

• Provide emotionally safe spaces for pupils to express feelings and develop regulation strategies.
• Facilitate restorative conversations to repair relationships.
• Promote resilience, positive identity formation, and personal responsibility.

7. Working With Families & MultiAgency Partners

• Build positive relationships with parents and carers, sharing progress and strategies.
• Collaborate with teachers, pastoral teams, therapists, and external agencies.
• Attend meetings such as EHCP reviews and safeguarding discussions.

8. Crisis Response

• Respond to crises using accredited deescalation and positive handling techniques.
• Prioritise emotional safety, dignity, and postincident recovery.
• Support reintegration and reflective practice.

9. Long-Term Development & Life Skills

• Support pupils with communication, emotional regulation, selfadvocacy, and decisionmaking.
• Encourage engagement with learning, vocational opportunities, and future aspirations.
• Help pupils prepare for adulthood and independence.

10. Contributing to a Positive School Culture

• Promote the provision’s nurturing, relational and therapeutic ethos.
• Maintain high standards of conduct, communication, and professionalism.
• Contribute to policy development, reflective practice, and wholeschool improvements.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Training

Essential:

• Good general education (GCSE English & Maths or equivalent).
• Knowledge or training in SEMH, traumainformed practice, or relational approaches.
• Willingness to undertake CPD including safeguarding and positive handling.

Desirable:

• Level 3 qualification in youth work, childcare, education, psychology or similar.
• Accredited de-escalation training (Team Teach, PRICE, MAPA etc).
• Additional SEMH-related CPD (e.g., MHFA, restorative practice, Thrive).

Experience

Essential:

• Background working with young people with SEMH needs or behavioural challenges.
• Experience forming positive relationships with pupils who've experienced trauma or anxiety.
• Skilled in deescalation and emotional regulation techniques.

Desirable:

• Experience in specialist SEMH, therapeutic, or alternative provision settings.
• Confidence in delivering 1:1 or small-group interventions.
• Experience contributing to behaviour plans or risk assessments.
• Multi-agency or family liaison experience.

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential:

• Understanding of SEMH and its impact on behaviour and learning.
• Awareness of trauma-informed practice and ACEs.
• Knowledge of safeguarding and professional boundaries.
• Understanding of relational and restorative approaches.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of EHCP processes and SEND frameworks.
• Awareness of therapeutic approaches (e.g., attachment theory, Zones of Regulation).
• Insight into barriers faced by pupils in SEMH settings.

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to build safe and trusting relationships with vulnerable pupils.
• Strong communication and deescalation skills.
• Confident in record keeping and written reporting.
• Organised, adaptable, and able to prioritise effectively.
• Calm, consistent, and emotionally resilient.

Safeguarding

Top Marks Education follows the highest safeguarding standards. All roles are subject to:

• Enhanced DBS checks
• Reference checks
• Verification of your suitability to work with young people

All staff must be committed to promoting the welfare and safety of children and young people.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Term-time working pattern
• Opportunities for additional hours on trips and enrichment activities
• Full induction, safeguarding training and ongoing CPD
• Supportive agency and school team
• Opportunities for career development across SEMH and behaviour support pathways