Mentoring Belongs in Every School

Posted: June 6, 2025

Walking into any school in the UK today, you can see the problems, you can feel the pressure. Staff are stretched, children are struggling, and behaviour issues can ripple through a classroom in seconds. For us it’s clear, mentoring is the answer – but right now, for a lot of schools, mentoring often feels like a “nice to have.” But what if we flipped that thinking? What if mentoring wasn’t an add-on – but a core part of every school day?

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This is exactly what we are striving for.

At Lexia Education Services, we believe mentoring belongs in every school. Not as a reward or a rescue mission, but as a powerful, preventative force that helps everyone – from pupils to staff – feel seen, supported and ready to succeed.

Why Schools Need Mentoring Now More Than Ever

Teachers are under a lot of pressure to manage classrooms and learning outcomes while also supporting children’s emotional needs. It’s a lot of pressure, with 20-30 pupils in a room and limited time, it’s not always possible to give each child the focused attention they need.

This is where mentors make a real difference:

De-escalating moments of crisis before they become classroom disruptions.
Building trust with young people who find it hard to open up.
Supporting behaviour through consistency, patience, and genuine care.
Mentors aren’t just an extra pair of hands. They’re the focused support that school, and a classroom needs.

Helping Staff Feel Supported

When children dysregulate or act out, it can be exhausting for staff. It can feel like you’re putting out fires all day, instead of running a lesson.

Having a mentor in the school changes that dynamic.

Mentors can:

Step in early with pupils who are beginning to disengage
Provide one-to-one support in and out of the classroom
Help children return to lessons emotionally regulated and ready to learn

This gives staff room to breathe, plan and teach – knowing someone else is alongside the children who need extra support.

Being the Positive Influence Some Young People Need

Not every child has a trusted adult they feel truly safe with. For some, a mentor becomes that person.

A great mentor is patient, understanding of the student’s issues, and caring enough to help them overcome their stresses. They build consistency, model healthy relationships, and create space for children to be themselves without fear of judgment.

Over time, this helps:

Increase confidence and self-worth
Reduce anxiety and isolation
Rebuild a sense of trust in adults
Reengaging Children with Learning

Many of the young people we work with aren’t “disinterested” in learning. They’re just disconnected. Sometimes it’s trauma. Sometimes it’s feeling like school isn’t a place they belong.

Mentors help bridge that gap.

Through regular check-ins, calm conversations, and gentle encouragement, they help children:

Rebuild their belief in what they can achieve
Set small, achievable goals
Celebrate progress, not perfection

When a child feels seen, they start to show up differently – in the classroom, in relationships, and in themselves.

How to Apply to Become a Mentor

If you feel called to make a real difference in the lives of young people, mentoring could be your next step. At Lexia Education Services, we look for individuals who lead with heart, show up with consistency, and believe in the potential of every child.