The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.
About us
The Sheffield College is a thriving further and higher education community, empowering around 13,000 learners each year to achieve their goals. Driven by our mission to transform lives through learning, we foster an inclusive environment — recognised through our 2026 Investors in Diversity Gold award and 3rd‑place ranking in the National Centre for Diversity’s 2025 Top 100 Most Inclusive UK Employers.
About The role
Working for our subsidiary company Sparks Teaching Services as a Student Mentor you will play a pivotal role in supporting our ambitions to provide all students with the best possible experience at the College. This role will help improve outcomes for all academy students through formal 121s and other pastoral interventions, participation and satisfaction rates and maintaining positive destinations of students, including through internal progression and UCAS applications.
As a Student Mentor you will be responsible for increasing the breadth of SHAPE (Staying Safe, Health and Well-being, Active Citizenship, Progression and Careers and Equality Matters). You will be required to improve outcomes for all academy students through formal 121s and other pastoral interventions, focussing on those with protected characteristics and in priority groups.
This is a fixed term contract until December 2026
Main Responsibilities
Supporting the delivery and recording of the academy’s interview, enrolment and induction processes, as directed by the Head of Student Experience.- Provision and recording of late induction for appropriate students, on agreed college electronic systems.
- Ensuring student starting points, including qualifications on entry and diagnostic assessments, are accurately recorded, shared and effectively utilised to support student progress.
- Ensuring that target and aspirational grades, which have been discussed and agreed with all allocated academy students, are recorded on agreed college electronic systems.
- Contributing to student progress against recorded starting points and target grades by working with curriculum teams to ensure appropriate pastoral interventions are implemented, monitored and updated.
- Completing Right Choice Reviews for appropriate students, in line with college guidance, recording completion on agreed college electronic systems
- Appropriately signposting allocated academy students to careers support and guidance and refer any student identified through the Right Choice Review process, or other processes, to the Head of Student Experience for managed internal transfers.
- Completing and recording further pastoral 1:1s with allocated academy students, in line with college policy, assessing pastoral risk and engaging the allocated Student Mentor where the risk level is increased to high.
- Checking that all allocated academy students wider support needs are being met referring them appropriately to support teams.
- Delivering 800-830 hours of high-quality student contact time through a mix of mandatory group tutorials tailored to the group, and further 1:1s or 1 to small group tutorials.
- Ensuring high student attendance at group tutorial sessions and enrichment events above the college and academy attendance targets.
- Planning and embedding bespoke academy enrichment activities which meet student need, utilising cross-college resources.
- Supporting the Academy to facilitate a ‘student first culture’ by listening and responding effectively to students by supporting the selection of student representatives for each group allocated
- Ensuring robust and appropriate parent / carer liaison and communication for all allocated academy students, including supporting open events and parent / carer consultation meetings and evenings.
- Completing internal progression processes to ensure all allocated academy students have an agreed progression destination.
If you want to find out more about the role please contact Adam Ledger, Head of Student Experience,
[email protected]
What we can offer you
As the successful candidate, you will be offered an hourly rate of £19.33. Please note this is a zero hour contract.
Our benefits
- Enhanced Pension contributions scheme with NEST
- Annual leave - 20 Days (148 hours) + 8 Bank Holidays (59.2 hours)- this includes a discretionary Christmas closure period
- Health and wellbeing, we offer
- Employee assistance programme through Bupa
- Occupational Health through PAM
- Free eye tests for VDU users
- Free Parking is available at the majority of our campuses
Disability Confident
We are a Disability Confident employer and are committed to removing barriers for applicants with a disability during our recruitment process, upon appointment and as an employee. Please review our Recruitment Guidelines for Disabled Candidates which provides further information on reasonable adjustments and how the Disability Confident scheme works in practice. If you require any reasonable adjustments or any support at any point throughout the process, please contact
[email protected]
Armed Forces Covenant
As part of our commitment through the Armed Forces Covenant, we’re pledged to support the Armed Forces Community. Recognising the value Personnel, Veterans and military families contribute to our community and country.
Safeguarding
We are an employer who is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students. Successful applicants will be required to have an enhanced DBS check and will be subject to safer recruiting procedures. Further details on our safer recruiting procedures, including the employment of ex-offenders can be found here Safeguarding
Next Steps:
To apply: Click and follow the links to complete the online application. For queries regarding the application process, please contact the Recruitment Team at
[email protected] CVs are currently not accepted.
As a Leader in Diversity employer, we encourage applications from everyone and value diversity in our workforce.
Closing date: 28 June 2026
Please be aware – If we have a high number of applications, we may decide to close the vacancy earlier.
