Lead Tutor (Focus: Sports)

Centre: NMT Berkshire (Reading)

Employer: New Meaning Training

Salary: Salary negotiable and based on experience

Type: Permanent, Full Time, All-year-round

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Schedule: Monday to Friday 08:30-16:30

Closing Date: 05/05/2026 12:00 pm

Job Reference: BERLTS022602

Do you have the leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and people‑first approach to guide a team and inspire young people who haven’t thrived in mainstream education? At New Meaning Training (NMT), we support young people aged 16–25 who need a more practical, relational and supportive route into adulthood, work and independence. Many learners arrive with low confidence, anxiety or additional needs such as autism, ADHD or social‑emotional challenges — they need steady adults who can lead by example.

We are recruiting a Lead Tutor (SETPD – Sports Focus) for our Reading centre. While this pathway includes sport, movement and physical activity, this role is primarily about leading people, shaping quality and modelling excellent relational practice. You will coach and support tutors, guide behaviour and engagement strategies, oversee planning and delivery, and help create a consistent, calm, trauma‑informed learning environment.

You will also deliver a reduced timetable of SETPD sessions, showing staff how to use physical activity and practical learning to build confidence, teamwork, communication and emotional regulation — with sport as a vehicle, not the end goal.

If you’re an experienced tutor, coach, youth worker or mentor with strong leadership instincts — or a current team lead looking for more responsibility — we will support you with training and professional development to thrive in this role. Above all, we’re looking for someone who puts relationships first and believes in the potential of young people who have been told they can’t succeed.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support a team of tutors, teaching assistants and learning support assistants within the SETPD pathway

• Contribute to and oversee the planning of SETPD sessions, schemes of work and curriculum design

• Deliver engaging SETPD sessions with a sport, movement or activity‑based focus, modelling trauma‑informed, relational practice

• Support learners to develop employability and life skills such as routines, goal setting, self‑management and positive attitudes to work

• Work 1:1 and with small groups, adapting sessions to different needs, abilities and confidence levels

• Encourage regular attendance, participation and engagement, reinforcing the link between effort and progression

• Guide and support tutors in embedding Functional Skills Maths and English within practical learning

• Build strong, trusting relationships with learners, using trauma‑informed approaches and supporting staff to do the same

• Coach staff on behaviour support strategies and lead responses to hard‑to‑engage learners

• Maintain accurate records relating to learner progress, engagement and development, and support staff in doing the same

• Contribute to learner induction, reviews and progression planning, supporting staff with paperwork and processes

• Work appropriately with parents/carers, support services and external agencies where required

• Reflect on your own practice, engage in leadership CPD and support the development of your team

About Us

New Meaning Training (NMT) offers education with a difference. We are a post 16 training and education provider dedicated to helping young people aged 16–25 discover their strengths and develop the confidence and skills to earn their own living.

This academic year New Meaning Training has 300 young people from Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, and Berkshire. Many of these learners are referred by secondary schools, pupil referral units, and Special Education Needs settings.

Our journey began in 2015 with the opening of our first centre in High Wycombe, originally known as “Toolshed.” Ten years on, NMT continues to grow. In Berkshire we’re fortunate enough to have expanded into a second building in Reading for our construction learners. We have a range of learning programmes: Construction Multiskills, Creative Art & Design, Sports, Boost Workskills, and Achieve Lifeskills. All incorporate functional skills qualifications in Maths and English, along with tutorials and enrichment sessions to support our well-rounded approach. We also provide a ‘Transition Support’ programme for young people with EHCPs who are not yet ready for a learning setting.

NMT tailors its programmes to meet the needs of its learners, considering Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. We comprehensively apply the principles of a Loving Care Approach (Trauma Informed Practice) to ensure all young people receive the support they need to thrive.

Why work for New Meaning Training?

Generous annual leave

• 20 days annual leave, plus bank holidays

• Up to 10 additional “gifted” days off each year (taken during school holiday periods)

• Annual leave increases with length of service, up to a maximum of 24 days

Pension

• Auto enrolment into The People’s Pensionenrolment into The People’s Pension

• 5% employee contribution with 3% employer contribution

Blue Light Card

• Access to hundreds of national discounts (retail, food, travel, days out)

• Admin fee fully reimbursed by NMT

Service recognition

• Additional annual leave as a thank you for long serviceyou

• Gift rewards at key milestones (e.g. 5 and 10 years)

Wellbeing benefits

• Annual flu vaccination voucher (paid for by NMT)

• Birthday gift voucher to celebrate your day

Sustainable travel schemes

• Cycle to Work scheme (salary sacrifice)

• Electric Vehicle scheme via Octopus Energy (salary sacrifice)

• Green Travel to Work initiatives with rewards for taking part

A supportive, values led workplaceled workplace

• Strong focus on staff wellbeing, development, and collaboration

• Training and CPD supported as part of your role

• The opportunity to make a meaningful difference in young people’s lives

You will have:

NB: You do not need to meet every requirement to apply. If you bring the right leadership qualities, values and experience supporting young people, we will support you with training and development.

Essential:

• A recognised teaching or tutoring qualification (e.g. Level 3 Award in Education & Training)

• Experience working with young people aged 16–25, particularly those with SEND and/or SEMH needs

• Experience leading, supervising or mentoring staff (education, youth work, coaching or care)

• A natural ability to build rapport and motivate disengaged young people

• Confidence using movement, activity or practical approaches as tools to support engagement and wellbeing

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with a calm and consistent leadership style

• A flexible and adaptable mindset, able to respond to learner and staff need

• Openness to trauma‑informed, relational practice and willingness to model this for other

• Strong organisational skills, including planning, record‑keeping and supporting others to stay on track

• Emotional resilience, patience and a reflective leadership approach

• Willingness to learn, develop new skills and engage in ongoing CPD

Desirable but not essential (training can be provided):

• Experience delivering or supporting Functional Skills English and Maths (Entry Level–Level 2)

• Experience planning structured sessions, schemes of work or curriculum content

• Experience completing learner records, assessments or qualification paperwork

• Experience tracking learner progress against EHCP outcomes or programme targets

• Experience supporting other staff to develop their practice

• Confident use of digital systems for learning, tracking or reporting

• A full UK driving licence and access to a business‑insured vehicle

Additional notes

• All applicants must complete our online application form and provide a current CV as part of the recruitment process. Further details on how tosubmityour CV will be shared during the application process.

• New Meaning Training is committed to safer recruitment practices in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) . Appointment to this role will be subject toappropriate preemployment checks, including a DBS check at the relevant level.

• All colleagues are expected to read, understand, and adhere to New Meaning Training’s policies and procedures, including those relating to safeguarding, professional conduct, and data protection.