At St Thomas' CE Primary Academy we have a highly effective Learning Mentor, Mrs Mulliss.  The role of the Learning Mentor is to work alongside the children, families and staff of the school to ensure all children have an equal opportunity to succeed and do well at school. 

Main duties of the Learning Mentor Team

• Identify pupils and their families who may need additional support
• Work with families to develop plans to improve outcomes of vulnerable pupils.
• Work with families to improve pupil attendance
• Develop interventions to support pupils with Social, Emotional or mental health difficulties.
• Deliver interventions as advised by professionals such as Educational Psychologist.
• Work with a range of agencies such as Social Workers in order to support vulnerable pupils
• Signpost families to other agencies who may be able to offer support
• Work with our SENDCo to put together a range of evidence to support referrals to the Community Paediatrician or an application for an Education, Health and Care plan
• Run Breakfast Club for Vulnerable Pupils to improve attendance, complete homework, have intervention in a targeted area of difficulty or to have a positive start to the day.
• Train and support Playground leaders and Year 6 Club leaders.
• Support pupils new to our Academy.
• De-escalate behaviour issues within the classroom.
• Meet and Greet with vulnerable pupils in order to prepare them for the day ahead.
• When necessary, support pupils within the classroom.
• Support at break and lunchtimes for vulnerable pupils.
• Support pupils to ensure there is a smooth transition through different phases of their education.

The Learning Mentor Team deliver a range of interventions to remove barriers to learning and improve emotional wellbeing.

• Social skills
• Anger management
• Grief and Loss
• Worries/Anxiety
• Body image
• Self esteem
• Attention and Listening
• Team Building
• Parental Separation
• Selective Mutism
• Solution focused approach
• Sensory Circuits
• Interventions to develop speaking and vocabulary
• Interventions to develop phonics, Reading and maths

Our Learning Mentor is highly trained and alongside our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads and SENCO, have received extensive training in a range of areas including: