Learning mentor

Learning mentors support students and trainees who need extra help with their learning.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

As a learning mentor you could:

  • support students in lessons and activities
  • build relationships with students and promote positive behaviour
  • create action plans with students and monitor their progress
  • keep records, prepare reports and give advice to families
  • work with teachers and other professionals like social workers, education welfare officers and educational psychologists

Working environment

You could work at a client's home, at a school or at a college.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could specialise in working with particular groups, like excluded students. You could also become a senior mentor.

With further training, you could move into:

  • student advice and guidance
  • teaching
  • counselling
  • educational welfare
  • social work

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
  • knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to work well with others
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to understand people’s reactions
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly

You could do a college course to get some of the skills you'll need as a learning mentor. Courses include:

  • Level 2 Award in Mentoring
  • Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools
  • T Level in Education and Early Years

Entry requirements

You may need:

  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

More Information

You could do a Learning and Skills Mentor Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.

This takes a minimum of 12 months to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More Information

You'll find it useful to get some volunteering experience, working with children or young people. You can find opportunities through Do IT and NCVO.

You could apply directly to become a learning mentor. The qualifications and experience you'll need will vary depending on where you work.

You'll usually need paid or voluntary experience of working with children or young people. Employers may also ask for GCSEs, or equivalent, in English and maths.

You might find it useful to have mentoring experience outside of education, such as:

  • supporting disabled people
  • helping young people with mental health issues
  • mentoring someone to start their own business
  • peer mentoring on anti-bullying projects

Further information

You can find out more about working in learning mentor and support from the Education and Training Foundation.

Suggested videos

Coffee With is in early release mode with a limited number of videos. New videos are being added every week, so please check back for updates.

Anna-Marie Descartes

Anna-Marie Descartes

DJ and Presenter

Kristof Nagy

Kristof Nagy

Business intelligence analyst

Benjamin Ella

Benjamin Ella

Ballet Dancer & Choreographer

This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.