Mentoring

Interventions are used across many schools to promote achievement at key points in the student’s learning journey. These interventions at NHESC take the form of one-to-one tuition.

Mentoring is used to support individual students to maximise their potential within an educational setting. NHESC is investing considerable time and resources with the desired outcome of improvement in grades, increased motivation, improved learning relationships and hopefully overall achievement.

All students at NHESC have an identified mentor whose approach is one of facilitator, guide, supporter and enabler. Work that a mentor may find themselves engaged in includes:

• Working with young people to identify any barriers to learning.
• SMART target-setting to develop an action plan for moving forward around issues.
• Making provision for students to work on coursework and study skills.
• Offering guidance and support with personal and domestic issues.
• Providing opportunities for students to develop self-esteem and confidence.
• Effective mentoring practice

Absolutely key to effective mentoring intervention is to recognise that the needs of the student are paramount. It is the role of the mentor to “walk alongside” the learner, not in front or behind, but alongside.

It is the role of the mentor to assist the learner to discover what is needed in order to overcome the hurdles that they are facing. It is the role of the mentor to bring questions to the discussion but not necessarily to provide answers. The answers lie always with the student. Quality mentoring draws this out. Quality mentoring finds the answer to the issues where they lie. The answers lie with the student.