Literacy Tutor
Help transform the lives of disadvantaged children in Oxfordshire
Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of disadvantaged children? Do you have experience working with primary-aged children in an educational setting? If so, we would love to hear from you!
We are seeking experienced educational professionals to deliver our KS1 and KS2 reading programmes, ReadingQuest and BookQuest at one of our partner schools in Oxford City, Didcot, or Banbury. This role involves working with pupils identified by our partner schools, delivering a total of ten hours of tutoring to each group over the course of ten weeks. You will be instrumental in boosting each child’s strategies, confidence, knowledge, and skills in reading, writing, spelling, and comprehension, empowering them to become successful, independent learners.
Key responsibilities
- Collaborate with the Quest for Learning teaching team to fulfil monitoring and evaluation requirements set out by the Department for Education (DfE) and other funders.
- Participate in Quest for Learning tutor team meetings.
- Commit to safeguarding and promoting the well-being and welfare of children at all times.
- Work closely with class teachers to identify initial learning needs and provide regular updates on pupil progress.
- Engage and support parents and carers in encouraging literacy learning at home.
- Keep detailed records of each child’s progress and produce reports for Quest for Learning, the partner school, and parents/carers.
- Teach an agreed number of groups of pupils for a total of ten hours per group across ten weeks.
Why join us?
- Family-friendly working hours: The typical pattern is two afternoons per week of teaching, with additional planning and report time to be taken flexibly.
- Competitive pay: £21.53 per hour (approx. 40–60 hours per 10-week teaching block, plus holiday pay and pension).
- Supportive and inclusive culture: We strive to foster a truly inclusive culture and are committed to improving the diversity of our team. We particularly welcome applications from candidates from global majority backgrounds and candidates with disabilities. We offer personalised CPD for all our staff so everyone feels empowered and confident in their role.
About you
We are looking for enthusiastic and experienced individuals who are committed to the aims and ethos of Quest for Learning. If you are passionate about improving the life chances of disadvantaged children through education, and possess the drive and initiative to work with minimal supervision, we would be delighted to receive your application.
How to apply
For further information, please download the job description and person specification.
To apply, please complete the application form and submit to recruitment@questforlearning.org.uk
If you would like to have an informal chat about the role, please contact our Education Manager on heather.richards@questforlearning.org.uk to arrange a call. We look forward to hearing from you!
Trustees
Are you passionate about making a positive impact on the future of young people in your community?
If this aligns with your interests, please download the role pack here for further information and email recruitment@questforlearning.org.uk to register your interest.
Please note: As part of our commitment to making sure safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do, candidates for our trustee positions will need to go through our robust safer recruitment processes.
Quest for Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing and welfare of children and young people and requires all individuals who are associated with the Charity, including all Trustees, employees, and volunteers, to share this commitment. Importance is placed by Quest for Learning on rigorous selection processes.
Would you like to join our team?
Quest for Learning is a small charity working across Oxfordshire to change children’s lives through our literacy and numeracy programmes. Every year, we work with hundreds of children in primary schools and we are always keen to talk to education professionals who share our passion and vision.
To find out what’s it’s like to work with us, take a look at our short video and if you’d like to get in touch, do drop us a line recruitment@questforlearning.org.uk
Working for Quest for Learning
As a Quest for Learning tutor, you will usually teach just one of our programmes – ReadingQuest, BookQuest or NumSkills. The way we organise the tutoring is very similar for everyone, but there are some differences which you can see below under the programme headings.
Whichever programme you are teaching, as a Quest for Learning tutor you will:
- be allocated to a partner school where you will usually work for the full academic year.
- receive full training in your chosen programme. You will be paid for this training.
- typically teach three teaching blocks throughout the academic year. Each teaching block is nine or ten weeks (depending on which programme you are delivering – see below). You will deliver one teaching block per term, so there is often some flexibility for working patterns within the term.
- be paid £20.70 per hour. You are paid for face-to-face teaching time and in addition, you will be paid for a pre-agreed amount of planning, report writing and tutor CPD. A holiday allowance is included in your pay.
- be invited to half-termly tutor meetings. This provides an opportunity to ask questions, share ideas and meet the rest of the tutor and teaching team.
- be provided with a programme handbook and all the resources you will need to deliver the programme.
- be supported by the Quest for Learning teaching team.
- have access to The Education Support Employee Assistance Programme.
As a ReadingQuest tutor you will:
- work with KS1 and Year 3 children to develop reading fluency.
- usually work 1:2, teaching four groups per 10 week teaching block. Each group will be taught three times a week in 30 minute sessions.
- typically teach 6 hours face-to-face per week across three afternoons.
- be paid an additional 2-3 hours of planning and report writing time per week.
As a BookQuest tutor you will:
- work with KS2 children to develop comprehension skills.
- usually work 1:3, teaching three groups per 10 week teaching block. Each group will be taught twice a week in 45 minute sessions.
- typically teach 4.5 hours face-to-face per week across two afternoons.
- be paid an additional 1-2 hours of planning and report writing time per week.
As a NumSkills tutor you will:
- work with KS2 children to develop confidence and fluency in mental maths.
- usually work 1:4, teaching three groups per 9 week teaching block. Each group will be taught twice a week in 30 minute sessions.
- typically teach 3 hours face-to-face per week across two afternoons.
- be paid an additional 1-2 hours of planning and report writing time per week.
Freqently Asked Questions
Do I have to be a qualified teacher to become a QFL tutor?
Most of our tutors are experienced primary school teachers with a PGCE or equivalent. However, if you are a Higher Level Teaching Assistant, or have other recent and relevant teaching experience in a primary setting, we would love to hear from you.
Will I be working online?
No. All our sessions are designed to be delivered in schools, within school hours. Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, we do have an online contingency plan, but this will be only be used when no other options are available to us.
Will I be working in one school or in different schools?
You will be working in one school for an allotted number of weeks (nine or ten, depending on which programme) per long term, in which time you will deliver 15 hours of tutoring per group. The number of groups will vary from school to school, but typically our tutors work two or three afternoons a week.
Our tutors are allocated to the same school (or schools) for the full academic year wherever possible. Where we can, we will always try and place you in a school which is convenient for you. Timings of sessions are agreed in consultation with yourself, the school and the Quest for Learning team.
What training do you provide?
All new tutors are fully trained in our programmes before starting in school, and we will pay you for this time. Usually, our tutors deliver just one programme. Our friendly and approachable Teaching Team are always on hand to provide ongoing support throughout the contract. In addition, there are termly tutor meetings where issues can be raised and best practice shared with other tutors.
