Milton Keynes College are working in partnership with HMP Oakwood to put education at the heart of the prison system.

We currently have a vacancy for a Full Time Additional Learning Support Practitioner who is able to inspire and assist learners throughout their academic and vocational studies. The requirement of this role is to work across the whole prison estate, on all wings where education is delivered.

The ideal candidate will be a passionate, creative and empathetic towards our learners and be able to offer knowledge and guidance to our learners.

Responsibilities include:

• To work closely with teaching staff and additional learning support staff in the delivery of good and outstanding support for all learners.
• To manage the initial and diagnostic assessment service in order to identify how learning needs can be effectively supported and monitored.
• To provide cover for a diverse range of teaching sessions as directed by line management, ensuring familiarity and compliance with the appropriate paperwork and procedures within the Department

HMP Oakwood opened in 2012 and is a private sector Category C resettlement prison for males over the age of 21. It is one the largest prisons in England with a current population of 1605. The Education department works in close partnership with G4S to enable learners to become functionally literate, highly skilled, confident and employable through a natural acquisition of learning, delivered through an embedded whole organisational approach and working in partnership with all stakeholders. The curriculum is designed taking into account both the needs of the prisoner and the local employment needs.

As a successful candidate you will have:

• Have a good basic general education including GCSE (or equivalent) Maths and English at Grade C.
• Hold an NVQ2/NVQ3 Teaching Assistant qualification or be willing to work towards.
• Have experience of working in a learning environment.
• Have well-developed interpersonal skills in relating to prison staff and in working with students who may have little experience of education and training.
• Be computer literate and willing to improve your IT skills.
• Have the ability to work as part of a team and on their own initiative.
• Have good organisational skills and be able to meet deadlines.

Location: HMP Oakwood

Hours: 37hours per week, 52 weeks per year

Salary: £18,015 - £21,552 per annum

Closing Date: Friday 10 th March

More about the rewards

As well as having 25 flexible days holiday per year you will also get 3 additional days to be taken over Christmas and of course all of the bank holidays. We offer a car allowance scheme “Just add fuel”, but if you prefer a more environmentally friendly approach to travel we also offer a cycle to work scheme. As part of Milton Keynes College you are entitled to apply for an NUS student discount card with offers in plenty of local restaurants and high street shops. Childcare vouchers are available and of course the option of being part of our local government pension with employer contributions of 11.5%. For more about our benefits please visit the MK College website.

More about the College

Milton Keynes College deliver an exciting and varied curriculum in 28 of Her Majesty’s Prisons and Young Offenders Institutes. We also have a successful Employment Academy model which works with employers and stakeholders to enhance our learners’ chances of re-entering society successfully, to find employment upon release and to live fulfilling lives. The curriculum we offer is designed taking into account both the needs of the learner, external stakeholders and the local employment needs. We are proud of supporting our learners’ successfully through education and ‘Through the Gate’.