Bexley
Excellence Cluster
Learning Mentor Strand
Frequently Asked Questions
What/who is a Learning Mentor?
Learning mentors are part of the school staff and work with children
to help them get the most of their time at school
What do they do?
They help children practise the skills and behaviour that will
help them concentrate in the classroom. They also build positive relationships
with both children and their parents/carers.
Why has my child been picked to go onto the programme?
Your child will have been chosen to have a learning mentor if
the school feels that s/he could make better progress with the help of a learning
mentor.
I want my child to go onto the LM programme; can I request that he/she goes
onto it? How do I do this?
Yes, you can request that your child has a learning mentor. You
should speak to your child's class teacher or form tutor. There may be several
children who also want the help of the learning mentor, and so each school decides
the order of priority.
What happens when my child is with the LM?
When your child is with the LM, they will look at the things
that are getting in the way of the child learning, and together will work out
ways that the child can overcome these.
How will this benefit my child?
Time with the LM should help your child to be better able to
handle the normal classroom environment and the social side of school life.
How can I/we help my child while on the programme?
The LM will be very pleased to work with you, and will be very
happy to talk to you about how you can help.
When will my child meet/visit the LM?
It depends. Some children see a learning mentor every day, whereas
others see them once a week or even less. It all depends on what is best for your
child.
Will they have to give up break times to meet/visit the LM?
No, they won't have to give up break times to meet with
the LM.
Will my child miss classes to meet with the LM?
Although children might come out of their lessons to work with
a learning mentor, it is hoped that the extra progress made more than compensates
for this. In many schools, children come out of different lessons to make sure
that they do not keep missing the same ones.
Why do we have to have a home visit? Why haven't we had a home visit?
You don't have to be visited at home – some learning
mentors do and others don't. It all depends on the school and whether a
parent would prefer to see a learning mentor at home rather than in school.
What happens when my child finishes with the LM?
When your child finishes their mentoring, it is hoped that they
will feel much more confident about being in school. Many learning mentors run
activity clubs, so your child will still be able to see his/her learning mentor.
Do I/we get a record of what my child is doing and any improvement while on
the LM programme?
Yes. The learning mentor will keep you fully involved and up
to date.
Who else has access to this information?
The work with the LM will become part of the child's normal
school record.
What happens if my child moves school?
If your child moves to a school that employs learning mentors,
such as another school in the Bexley Excellence Cluster, the learning mentor would
make contact with the learning mentor in the new school, so that if possible,
your child can continue receiving the support.
What happens if my child doesn't want to meet with the LM?
We hope that your child will want to meet with the LM, but the
support is not compulsory. Usually, though, children are very happy to have the
opportunity to work with a learning mentor.
What happens if I do not want my child to meet with the LM?
Working with a learning mentor is not compulsory. Hopefully,
however, you will be happy for your child to receive this additional support.
My child is already seen by (other agency), will they still be eligible to
be on the LM programme?
Yes
Do they have to stop seeing the (other agency) if they are on the LM programme?
No
What happens if my child does not get on with the LM?
In this sort of situation, it is likely that your child will
be removed from the programme.
What happens if I have a concern regarding the LM?
If you have any concerns you should contact the head teacher
of the school.
Who can I contact for further information?
If you want any more information, you should contact the head
teacher of your school.
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Mentor information
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