Lark Hill Road
Preston
Lancashire
PR1 4HD
Tel:
01772 460181
Fax:
01772 204671
Email:
hr@cardinalnewman.ac.uk
Web:
www.cardinalnewman.ac.uk
Dear Applicant
We are delighted that you are considering completing an application for the post of Achievement Support
Tutor to commence as early as practicable.
Cardinal Newman is a wonderful place to start (or to continue) your career and we welcome applications
from applicants who are keen to gain a broad experience of supporting students with their learning. We are
a distinctive Catholic Sixth Form College, which welcomes colleagues and students of all faiths, and which has
a real feeling of community and it is a happy, thriving and highly successful College.
At Cardinal Newman College we are committed to the development of the whole person and we value each
student as an individual with a unique mix of skills and talents. Our students achieve outstanding results
placing the College at the top of the performance tables out of over 400 Colleges nationally for the last four
years. We were awarded Beacon Status in 2010 and the College enjoyed an ‘outstanding’ Inspection in May
2009. However, we are as proud of our students’ social, cultural and spiritual achievements as we are of their
outstanding exam results.
We have a fabulous team of colleagues who give up an extraordinary amount of time to support their
students and their fellow members of staff. The dedication and attention to quality they exhibit is what makes
our College so successful.
If you meet the criteria of the post advertised and feel that you would enjoy working here, we hope you will
make an application to join us. Completed application forms should be returned to the Human Resources
Department (via email or post) by 9.00 am on Tuesday, 18th November 2014. We do ask that you accept, in
the interests of economy, that if you have not heard from us by the end of November that you will not have
been selected for interview on this occasion.
Should you have any questions which are not covered in the enclosed information please do not hesitate to
contact the Human Resources Department.
Yours faithfully
Nick Burnham
Principal
JOB DESCRIPTION
Post Title:
Achievement Support Tutor
Responsible to:
Senior Tutor
At Cardinal Newman College the individual student is central to all our endeavours. All teaching staff at
Cardinal Newman College have a pastoral role in their everyday dealings with students. The Achievement
Support Tutor has a specific role in pastoral support and will act as coach to provide students with
individualised support and challenges which will stretch their potential to the full. Being able to motivate and
energise young people, deliver the tutorial programme, agree motivational targets and produce student
progress reviews. You will also be responsible for initiating, monitoring and overseeing the timely completion
of students’ university and other progression applications. In this role you will also be specifically responsible
for writing university references for all the students under your supervision. In addition, you will take on
extra responsibilities linked to your individual expertise and will be expected to work flexibly to ensure that
the responsibilities of the role are fulfilled effectively. Working within the existing Tutor team and with the
support and guidance of a Senior Tutor, you will provide support, guidance and encouragement to students
in your care.
Duties and Responsibilities
1
Pre-enrolment and enrolment
Contribute to the interviewing of potential students in year 11 of high school
Carry out tasks as allocated during the start of each academic year, including the enrolment of new
students in August
Contribute towards the planning and delivery of the college Induction programme
Effectively manage Initial Assessments and ensure all students complete their entitlement to these
assessments
Ensure that the Student Charter [Dairy] is explained to, and signed by, all students
Establish a tutor group identity and a rapport with their individual students
2
Tutorial programme
Deliver the tutorial programme as planned
Deliver the tutorial programme to ensure that the themes of the Tutorial programme are effectively
addressed
Take a full part in the sharing of ideas and good practice within the tutor team
Support students in their career and progression planning and to advise on how to access guidance on
making informed choices
Support students in the applications process by mentoring application quality and Personal Statement
writing
To be available for post exam counselling as required
Attend team meetings and 1:1 meetings as agreed with their Senior Tutor
Obtain student views of the tutorial programme in line with the quality systems in College eg student
voice and self-assessment report writing
Cover for other Tutors if required
3
Individual student progress reviews and action planning
Monitor and support the progress of all tutees based on the valued-added tracking system, providing
every tutee with supportive and focused 1:1 interviews
Manage and prioritise 1:1 interviews as required
Develop an effective and supportive partnership with parents/carers by regular and appropriate
contact and meetings with parents/carers
Monitor the attendance of students in line with college targets, setting improvement targets for
students where necessary through following the College’s systems
Monitor and support student achievement within the enrichment programme
Deal promptly and appropriately with curriculum concerns and referrals in relation to individual
student progress
Document all meetings on the student Pastoral Log
Monitor the action plans drawn up by students during the review sessions
Refer students to other agencies where appropriate eg Careers Service, NHS etc
Deal promptly with complaints raised by students and, where necessary, refer them to the next stage
Communicate effectively with students and their parents or careers where relevant
Support and guide students with references and in particular their UCAS application process
Liaise regularly with their Senior Tutor and report any emerging issues
Ensure that the student 1:1 entitlement of significant interviews is achieved
4
Record keeping
Maintain college records including students’ pastoral log, 1:1 interviews, progression plans, course
changes, referrals, attendance and tracking data
5
Monitoring and evaluation
Contribute to the quality assurance and self-assessment procedures within the Pastoral team
Produce summaries and References to an agreed quality standard and to the deadlines set within
college
To commit to college quality systems and regular reviews of performance
Be pro active in the use of our tracking tool, Cedar, to monitor attendance
Closely monitor the performance of students on contract
Respond in a timely way to requests from College for information: eg learner agreements, Timetable
checks, progression forms
Produce timely and appropriate responses for monitoring data supplied
Ensure that college procedures are implemented in the delivery of tutorial activities
Identify staff training and development needs and inform relevant Senior Tutor
The job description outlines the main duties and responsibilities under broad headings It is not intended to
specify every job activity or responsibility in detail. All College employees are expected to work flexibly to
ensure that responsibilities are fulfilled efficiently and effectively according to the needs of the College and
its students
PERSON SPECIFICATION
ACHIEVEMENT SUPPORT TUTOR
All Staff must make a positive contribution to:
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The Catholic ethos of the College and its distinctive nature
The College’s Safeguarding and Equality and Diversity practices
The pursuit of excellence and the highest standards of quality in all aspects of College life
Their own professional development, in accordance with the needs of the college
Qualifications / Education / Training:
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Degree or equivalent qualification
Advice & Guidance qualification or willingness to work towards this
Safeguarding Training
Essential
Desirable
Desirable
Experience
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Minimum of 12 months’ guidance/young persons related work
Knowledge of progression routes for students: BTEC, GCSE, AS Level
Student guidance experience
Effective liaison with external agencies
Knowledge of Post 16 Education and options at 18
Desirable
Desirable
Desirable
Desirable
Desirable
Knowledge and Skills:
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Ability to input data accurately
Good organisational and administrative skills
Good presentation skills
Good literacy skills
Ability to work co-operatively with a range of people
Ability to work under pressure and maintain a sense of humour and perspective
Ability to motivate groups of young people
Competent IT Skills
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Personal Qualities / Attributes:
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Disclosure and Barring Service Clearance*
Medical Clearance*
Provision of two references which are deemed as satisfactory to the Principal *
The ability to meet the requirements of the Asylum and Immigration Act
(to be eligible to work in the UK)
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
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Good practical skills
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
Good interpersonal skills
Flexibility to work on a wide range of tasks
Ability to work as part of a team
Ability to work to defined deadlines
Ability to be flexible and show initiative
Ability to demand high standards of self and others
Good record of attendance and punctuality (within confines DDA)
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
*following a conditional offer of appointment
Summary of Main Terms and Conditions
Achievement Support Tutor
Salary
The post will be paid on the Sixth Form Colleges’ Support Staff Pay
Spine Points 22-26 – i.e. £14,756.65 - £16,862.40 gross per annum
(pro rata to a full time salary of £17,968 to £20,532)
Payment
Your salary will be paid by BACs transfer into your bank account
on the last banking day of the month (except at Christmas when
payment is made before the holiday)
Pension Scheme
You will automatically become a member of the Local Government
Pension Scheme (unless you opt-out).Further details are available
at www.lancs-pensions.org.uk
Working Hours
33.5 hours per week – across 4.5 days per week to be agreed with
the successful candidate. Term time only plus an additional 2
weeks (67 hours) per year for use on an ad hoc basis as required.
Support For Students – Background Information
Structure of the Pastoral Services Department:
Achievement Support Tutors and Personal Tutors
Each Tutor has a specified number of Tutor groups. Most Personal Tutors are responsible for 2 tutor
groups, Achievement Support Tutors can be responsible for up to 11, with approximately 26
students per group. Groups are exclusively Y12 or Y13. Intermediate students who have progressed
to Level 3 courses will be in Y12 groups, and the very small number of Y14 returners will be in Y13
groups. The programme will be appropriate for these students. There are a growing number of
Senior Tutors (6)
Each Senior Tutor is the line manager of about 7 other Achievement Support Tutors or Personal
Tutors. The Senior Tutor is responsible for managing, supporting and monitoring the work of all
Tutors in their Block. Senior Tutors have no tutorial groups in their management block and are line
managed themselves by the Directors of Students. Three Senior Tutors have specific responsibility
for monitoring and the tutorial programme.
Directors of Students
The Directors of Students are responsible for all aspects of Safeguarding, Students and Pastoral
Support, Progression and within the College and are line managed by the Principal.
Pastoral Meetings:
Senior Tutors: Take place weekly to discuss the business of the week and up and coming events
Directors of Students and Senior Tutors: Take place once a week
Achievement Support Tutors/Personal Tutors and Senior Tutors: Take place during the tutorial
block, on a weekly basis. These meetings are times when individual students can be discussed and
good ideas for tutorial delivery explored and shared.
Achievement Support Tutors will have opportunities for training and development built into their
timetable.
Mission Statement
As a Catholic Sixth Form College we strive to be a centre of educational excellence for the
community built on faith, respect and trust. We celebrate diversity amongst all out students and
staff and seek to nurture the gifts of each individual through high quality teaching and learning
and dedicated pastoral care.
Values Statement
Cardinal Newman College is a community which aims to live out the gospel values of service and
love. This means that:
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The individual student is central to all our endeavours
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The College values each individual as a unique person irrespective of gender, race, belief or
ability and regards each person, made in the image and likeness of God, as worthy of the utmost
respect
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The College strives to develop each person intellectually, socially and spiritually through an
inclusive programme of study and enrichment
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The College values the spiritual journey of each individual and will offer opportunities for each
to engage appropriately in their spiritual search
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The College is committed to creating a culture that is open and welcoming, free from fear and
from violence of any kind, in which all individuals feel safe, happy and secure
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The College provides learning environments that are stimulating, enjoyable and challenging to
students, fostering their creativity, imagination and search for truth
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The College encourages individuals to contribute positively to the world in which they live, to
challenge injustice and to seek out more co-operative, just and peaceful forms of human
existence.
About Cardinal Newman College
Cardinal Newman College is a Catholic Sixth Form College in the centre of the City of Preston. The
College’s core activity is the provision of courses and learning opportunities for full time 16 – 18
learners, with courses offered during 2014/15 at Level 3 (95% of students studying at AS, A2, and
BTEC), Level 2 (3% studying BTEC and GCSE), and an Essential Skills course for 44 young people with
specific learning needs. At the start of the present academic year (2014/15), the college had 2,983
full time 16-18 learners on roll. In addition to the 16-18 provision, (which accounts for about 99% at
the College), the College offers a limited range of part time courses for approximately 122 adults
within Skills for Life (ESOL).
Cardinal Newman College is the post-16 provider for the Newman Partnership, a working group
consisting of the College and ten Catholic Partner High Schools. The location of these schools
demonstrates the wide area from which the College draws a significant proportion of its full time
16–18 learners. Because of its distinctive ethos, its reputation, the levels of achievement, the
support the College offers students and its provision of high quality courses, Cardinal Newman
College is also an attractive option for learners who attend other high schools in Preston and the
surrounding area. Year-on-year applications from these schools have increased significantly. A
cultural and spiritual diversity has developed that has been of immense benefit to all of its learners,
and to the local community.
An Outstanding College
The college has been at the top of the DFE League Tables for points per student for 3 years running
and the last Ofsted Inspection in the summer of 2009 graded all areas as ‘outstanding’. It confirmed
that there is a culture of high expectations and rigorous quality improvement in all areas. Standards,
expectations and processes have continued to improve since then. Students achieve well above
their (high) target grades and make a positive contribution to the College and its wider community.
Student attendance and behaviour are exemplary, illustrating that the Catholic mission and ethos
of the College is lived out at all levels.
Value added measured by ALPS places the college in the top 1% nationally and success rates are
well above national benchmarks. Every year over three quarters of the college’s students’ progress
to Higher Education with many going on to the most prestigious institutions and courses.
Students study in a purposeful and diverse environment with a strong focus on respect in which
every learner genuinely does matter. The team of specialist RE teachers live out the college’s
commitment to ‘valuing the spiritual journey of each individual and offering opportunities for each
to engage appropriately in their spiritual search’.
Our Community
Links with the local and Catholic partner high schools are very strong. The Principal meets regularly
with Headteachers and the Newman Partnership heads meet to discuss and share a wide range of
curriculum, pastoral and strategic issues. Relationships with college trustees, and with the Diocese
of Lancaster are maintained through the foundation governors.
The College has outstanding links with its local and wider community and learners and staff fully
contribute
to
this.
Students at the College are
continually seeking to
engage in volunteer work
within the community.
The most recent example
of this is demonstrated in
college plans to deliver the
Community
Sports
Leadership Award at the St
Augustine’s
Centre.
Other voluntary work is
continued in the local
community by the CAFOD
Group, Essential Skills,
Health and Social Care, the
Medical Society and
Chaplaincy.
The
curriculum departments
also contribute widely to
the links with local
community
groups,
charities and local primary schools.
As a Catholic Sixth Form College we strive to be a center of educational excellence for the
community built on faith, respect and trust. We celebrate diversity amongst all our students and
staff and seek to nurture the gifts of each individual through high quality teaching and learning and
dedicated pastoral care.
College Facilities
Over the past few years the College has embarked on an extensive redevelopment programme
which has seen our students benefit from state of the art facilities. This strategy has seen the
recently purchased St Augustine building now host a variety of newly renovated classrooms and
drama/dance studios as well as the original sports facilities. This fantastic complex is an excellent
addition to the campus as students studying Travel & Tourism, Sport, Dance and Performing Arts
now have a new dedicated space for their course requirements. At the St James Art and Design
Centre students work within a unique and creative atmosphere. Our Science and Maths subjects
are all taught within the purpose built St Mary’s building, which is located opposite the main site.
The St Cecilia building is a new £11 million development opened in March 2009 and has been a
fabulous addition to the College facilities. The five storey building houses our new Music Academy,
our Language courses (including laboratories and IT suites), English, Media, Film, Communication &
Culture courses as well as our RE department. Along with classrooms and facilities for these subjects,
there is also a TV studio, fully equipped photography studios, music practice rooms, recording suites
and performance studio. The main college buildings are centred on a Georgian Mansion within
stunning grounds which include a lake and wooded areas. The newly developed grounds include
picnic areas and landscaped gardens. Adjacent to this is the St Bede building. This area has been
totally refurbished and now houses Religious Studies, Philosophy and Critical Thinking as well as
Fine Art in state-of-the-art classrooms. It also provides students with a huge range of social spaces
and catering options.
Staff at Cardinal Newman College
Cardinal Newman College has achieved its success through the hard work, skills, attitude and
commitment of its 240 plus staff. We wish to work in an inclusive and transparent style of
management that is open, consultative and encourages all staff to participate in the leadership and
management of the college. The development of staff’s skills is a priority for the college and teams
are encouraged to innovate and continuously improve Cardinal Newman’s curricular and pastoral
offer to its students.
What our students say about Cardinal Newman College
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I chose Newman because it gave me the opportunity to be inventive and take part in
the student council. My favourite thing about college is all of the people you meet
(there are lots of smiling faces) and it is a great place to learn – I will definitely miss it
when I am gone! Next year I hope to study Neuroscience in Manchester.
Lauren O’Brien – Broughton
Studying A Levels in Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, German, General Studies, Critical
Thinking
I chose Newman because of its welcoming atmosphere and friendly people. I would
definitely recommend Newman to school leavers, the quality of teaching is brilliant and
there are loads of things to do, I am a member of the choir and
I have taken part in lots of trips and visits. I hope to get into music production in the
future.
Jack Caldwell – All Hallows
Studying A Levels in Music Technology, Maths, Physics, Business Studies
Newman is a place that consistently strives to improve itself, its got modern facilities,
brilliant study support and dedicated staff. Plus it’s the only college in the area that
allows you can mix BTEC and A Level courses. I hope to go on to university and then
qualify to be a PE teacher.
Ashlyn Tarney – Christ the King
Studying A Levels in English Language & Literature, BTEC Sport
I liked Newman’s atmosphere, friendly staff and excellent facilities. I am now hoping
to study Law and Criminology at university next year.
Sajeda Alli – Penwortham Girls’
Studying A Levels in German, Psychology, Law, Business Studies
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Newman gives you the freedom to express yourself, the teachers always support your
dreams and you meet people with similar aspirations. Everyone is so helpful and
encouraging, you feel like part of a family! After college I plan to take a gap year and
then audition for a place at drama school.
Tara McKenzie – St Bede’s, Lytham
Studying A Levels in Drama & Theatre Studies, English Language, Digital Photography,
Textiles
Whilst at Newman, I have been on two German exchanges and a History trip to Russia.
I chose to come here because of Newman’s fantastic reputation for Modern Foreign
Languages and its great atmosphere. There’s a brilliant choice of social activities and
academic groups to take part in. I know that if I ever have a problem, my teachers are
always willing to help! I now hope to study Languages at Royal Holloway University and
then become an Interpreter.
Peter Holmes – Holy Cross
Studying A Levels in French, German, Italian, Spanish, History
Newman’s Football Academy really impressed me along with the college’s reputation
for academic excellence and sporting opportunities. Next year, I am going to Florida to
complete a football scholarship!
Luke Jenner – Archbishop Temple
Studying A Levels in Sport, Psychology, Geography, Maths
Newman is not just a college, it is a fantastic community. It doesn’t matter what music
you like or how popular you were at school, everyone is equal! I would encourage
anyone to study English Literature at college, the trip to Stratford to watch
Shakespeare’s The Tempest was an amazing experience. After college, I am hoping to
pursue a career in the Ministry of Defence.
Alex Walsh – Holy Cross
Studying A Levels in History, English Literature, Law, Dance