Job Description
Alternative Provision in Blackpool seeking an Outdoor Education & Land-Based Mentor. Small groups (2-4 pupils), equine therapy, local farms & DofE. Up to £33,000.
Location: Blackpool & The Fylde Coast, Lancashire (FY postcodes)
Position Type: Full-Time, Temporary-to-Permanent
Salary: Up to £33,000 per annum upon permanent appointment (competitive equivalent daily rate during the initial temp-to-perm transition)
About the Setting
Our Alternative Provision (AP) supports secondary-aged learners across Blackpool who experience Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties, trauma, or school disengagement.
We step away from desk-bound schooling to deliver relational, nature-based education. In partnership with local working farms, equine assisted therapy centres, and expedition routes across Lancashire, we use land-based skills and outdoor challenges to build self-worth, emotional regulation, and accredited qualifications. Rather than managing large classes, our practitioners work with micro-groups of just 2 to 4 pupils, supported at all times by dedicated pastoral mentors.
The Role
We are seeking an active, grounded, and resilient Outdoor Education Specialist to lead practical field, farm, and expedition activities on a temp-to-perm contract.
You do not need traditional teacher status (QTS). We are looking for hands-on mentors-such as DofE leaders, equine/animal care practitioners, outdoor pursuit instructors, or farm-based youth workers-who excel at co-regulating young people through real-world, purposeful activity.
Key Responsibilities
Equine & Animal-Assisted Engagement: Support safe animal handling, stable management, and sensory co-regulation at partner equine therapy yards and local working farms.
Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE): Guide small groups through Bronze and Silver DofE modules, including navigation, campcraft, volunteering, and outdoor expeditions.
Micro-Group Mentoring: Work with focused groups of 2 to 4 pupils, embedding functional English, maths, and problem-solving into hands-on outdoor tasks.
Farm & Land-Based Skills: Facilitate practical conservation, horticulture, fencing, livestock care, and countryside maintenance projects.
Positive Behaviour & De-escalation: Apply trauma-informed practices, consistent boundaries, and low-arousal strategies to de-escalate anxiety and emotional deregulation.
Off-Site Safety: Maintain risk assessments and pastoral logs during minibus transport, visits, and expeditions.
Who We Are Looking For
Practical Experience: Background in outdoor education, DofE expedition leadership, farm work, equine-assisted learning, Bushcraft, or Forest School delivery.
SEMH & AP Aptitude: Empathy, patience, and confidence working alongside neurodivergent learners (ADHD, ASC) or pupils with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
Ratio Focus: Enjoyment of working closely with intimate cohorts of 2 to 4 students where genuine relational trust can be built.
Driving Licence: A full UK driving licence (experience driving a school minibus or towing is highly advantageous for off-site trips).
Safeguarding: Commitment to child protection and safer recruitment standards (an Enhanced Child Workforce DBS on the Update Service will be required prior to start).
What We Offer
Salary: Up to £33,000 per annum (pro-rata / D.O.E.) upon permanent transition.
Micro-Ratios: Dedicated group sizes capped at 2 to 4 students, eliminating large-classroom behaviour fatigue.
Clear Route to Permanent: A structured 12-week agency transition offering immediate start stability.
Dynamic Work Environment: Variety across coastal trails, partner stables, local farms, and community conservation sites across the Fylde.
