Primary Support Staff - Four Learning Mentors

Four primary learning mentors share the challenges they face in their day-to-day roles.

Julie Baker and Dwight Hart are learning mentors at the Ellen Wilkinson School in Newham, east London. They deal with a variety of behavioural, medical and emotional issues which might present barriers to learning for pupils at the school.

In one instance, we see Julie working with Year 6 pupil Toni and her mother Terri, who has had real difficulty persuading Toni to come to school and stay in lessons. Dwight also highlights the anger management clinic he runs with with young boys at the school.

At New City Primary School, also in Newham, learning mentors Mandy Bathe and Teasie Obersteller work to build links between the school and the community.

Mandy runs a breakfast club, which helps her to spot pupil concerns before they become a problem.Meanwhile, Teasie discusses how she's helped pupil Salsibill, overcome some of the difficulties she had coming to the UK from France and then having a major operation.