Behaviour Support Mentor

Affinity Partnerships is proud to be working with Briarwood School’s Nexus Provision in Bristol to recruit passionate, resilient, and dedicated Behaviour Support Mentors as the school continues to expand its exceptional provision for children and young people with additional needs.

We welcome applications from candidates with experience in:

• Schools and alternative provisions
• Youth work and mentoring
• Sports coaching and PE delivery
• Residential childcare
• Healthcare and social care
• Behaviour support roles
• Community and outreach programmes
• Mental health and wellbeing services
• SEND settings

Whether you currently work in education, healthcare, social care, youth work, or coaching, this is an excellent opportunity to move into a rewarding, term-time-only role with a strong work-life balance while making a genuine difference to young people’s lives.

If you’re confident building positive relationships, supporting behaviour, promoting engagement, and helping young people overcome barriers to learning, we’d love to hear from you.

About Briarwood School – Nexus

Briarwood School is an Ofsted Outstanding Special School supporting children and young people aged 3 to 19 with autism, severe and profound learning difficulties, and complex needs.

As part of its continued growth and expansion, Briarwood is increasing its capacity to support 233 pupils by September 2026, creating exciting opportunities for dedicated professionals to join its highly regarded team.

The Nexus Provision provides specialist, therapeutic, and relationship-centred support for pupils with complex needs, helping them develop emotional regulation, independence, communication, and engagement in learning. Staff work collaboratively to create a safe, nurturing, and structured environment where pupils can thrive and achieve their individual potential.

The school was most recently rated Outstanding in all areas by Ofsted, recognising it as:

“A place where pupils feel safe, secure, and understood. The school is calm and orderly. It is a place where pupils thrive.”

The Role

As a Behaviour Mentor, you will play a vital role in supporting pupils with complex learning, communication, sensory, and behavioural needs.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will help pupils access learning, build confidence, develop positive relationships, and achieve meaningful progress. Every day is different, and you’ll have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of young people who benefit from consistent, patient, and compassionate support.

This role is particularly well suited to individuals who have experience supporting children and young people and are looking to further their career within SEND, alternative learning, education, youth work, psychology, social care, or teaching.

Key Responsibilities

• Build positive, trusting, and consistent relationships with pupils
• Support children and young people with autism, complex learning difficulties, sensory needs, and behaviours that challenge
• Deliver 1:1, 2:1, or small-group support based on individual pupil needs
• Promote engagement, participation, and achievement within learning activities
• Implement Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) strategies and therapeutic approaches
• Encourage emotional regulation, resilience, confidence, and independence
• Work closely with teachers, therapists, and support staff to provide a safe and structured learning environment
• Support pupils with social, emotional, and communication development
• Monitor and record observations, achievements, and wellbeing concerns
• Act as a positive role model, maintaining high expectations and encouraging success

What We’re Looking For

• Experience working with children or young people in education, care, healthcare, youth work, sports coaching, mentoring, or SEND settings
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• A calm, patient, and resilient approach
• The ability to adapt to individual needs and respond positively in challenging situations
• A genuine passion for supporting vulnerable children and young people
• A commitment to safeguarding and promoting positive outcomes
• Team Teach training is desirable but not essential, as training can be provided

What Affinity Partnerships Offers

• Competitive pay rates inclusive of rolled-up holiday pay
• Funded training and ongoing professional development opportunities
• The opportunity to work within an Ofsted Outstanding specialist school
• Comprehensive induction, guidance, and mentorship
• A supportive and collaborative team environment
• A strong focus on staff wellbeing
• Valuable experience within SEND, alternative learning, and specialist education
• Clear opportunities for career progression within education and support services

Additional Information

Interviews will be held on a rolling basis, and this vacancy may close early if a suitable candidate is identified.

Affinity Partnerships is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and candidates.