Learning Assistant – Farm: Ruskin Mill Trust, Gables Farm, Gloucestershire

Ruskin Mill College is the founding college of Ruskin Mill Trust. Located in the Cotswolds, the 140-acre site includes a wooded valley, a trout farm, market gardens, sustainably managed woodlands and a biodynamic farm. Nestled in the landscape are craft workshops including pottery, forge, textiles and woodwork. Ruskin Mill College is part of Ruskin Mill Trust.

Established in 1984, Ruskin Mill Trust is an educational charity that operates in England, Scotland and Wales.
We offer exciting outdoor learning environments, utilising practical land and craft activities to support the development of work and life skills in young people with autistic spectrum conditions and other learning differences. Our research-led method, Practical Skills Therapeutic Education, is inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner, John Ruskin and William Morris. Working with hand, head, heart and place, Ruskin Mill Trust helps individuals to re-imagine their potential.   The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Level Disclosure as well as a medical check, references, evidence of qualifications, plus verification of the right to work in the UK.

Learning Assistant – Farm  Term Time Only
Actual salary £23,284 – £24,335 (FTE £26,538 – £27,736) Subject to qualifications and experience
40 hours per week, 40 weeks per year

 An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Ruskin Mill College, Ruskin Mill Trust, as part of the Gables Farm team focusing on the holistic needs of the students, in conjunction with the daily care of farm animals and landscape activities, in a bio-dynamic setting. Ruskin Mill engages the students in Practical Skills Therapeutic Education (PSTE) and provides social enterprise opportunities for students working on the farm, rearing biodynamic produce for the college kitchens, residential provision and the farm shop.

Gables Farm is a 40-acre, bio-dynamic farm with a mixed range of farm animals, pasture & plantings. You will be working alongside a farm tutor with a small group of students, to assist in the delivery of land-based qualifications, developing animal husbandry skills and carrying out land-based activities throughout the seasons. You will be an active member of the farm team and will feel comfortable and willing to work in all-weathers, in close-quarters with all types of farm animals (in-house training/guidance will be given), and with machinery-based work, eg brushcutter, tractor (external training and in-house guidance provided).

You will be expected to attend training sessions as required by the Trust, which may be outside of your usual working hours.

 Main Duties Include:

• You must be able to instil enthusiasm and enjoyment into the learning process in such a way that can lead to increased self-esteem and enhanced engagement in learning.
• Applicants for this post should have experience of working with young people and vulnerable adults with special needs, challenging behaviours and mental health difficulties.
• You must have an aptitude for all-weather hands-on working, experience of practical land-based work would be an advantage, as would an experience or interest in bio-dynamic methods.

• You will be expected to assist the tutor/s in planning and preparing sessions that differentiate for the range of students under that tutor’s remit, in order to progress each student educationally.
• To collaborate closely with the tutor/s and student support worker/s, in session, to progress students towards their short, medium and long term outcomes.

Working at Ruskin Mill Trust is incredibly rewarding; we offer competitive salaries and holiday allowances, an auto-enrolment pension scheme with a salary sacrifice option, a health cash plan and employee assistance programme via Medicash. This role benefits from working in a beautiful, unique setting, with free organic, healthy and nutritious lunches during term time.

In addition, staff receive valuable training opportunities including an in-depth interactive induction to enable our new team members to experience our Practical Skills Therapeutic Education (PSTE) curriculum and opportunities for further training and academic research including our own MSc in Practical Skills Therapeutic Education.

Full details of our benefits can be viewed on www.rmt.org/careers

For further information or to apply, please visit rmt.org/jobs  or email the recruitment team at [email protected]

Closing date is Sunday 13^th September 2026