THE calming aura that surrounds Kim Burton would put even the most unruly of students at ease.

Her friendly tone and self-assured manner claims the attention of students at Darwen Moorland High School within an instant. No wonder then that she received special commendation at the Teaching Awards 2003 in the Teaching Assistant of the Year category.

Kim is one of five learning mentors operating in and around the classrooms at the Holden Fold school. Across East Lancashire, there are more than 100.

Her post was created two years ago under the Government's Excellence in Cities programme.

She spends her time dealing with the most complex modern issues facing students. They range from bullying and teenage pregnancy to falling attendance, under achievement and disaffected families.

"If I said there were not days that I went home and had a cry I would be lying but it is the most rewarding job ever," said Kim, who deliberately dresses down for her work in school to put children at ease.

She believes her seven-year background in special needs education and with children with behavioural problems, coupled with her way with people, is all the training she needs.

"We help them feel special and a lot of children really need it."

The job has no clear cut boundaries but the team, under manager Andy Middlemas, work to improve the lives of some of the most delicate cases in school. Andy described the scheme as "the future of education" and a way of improving the lives of children and the way they learn.

A child is first referred to the team for a 12-week mentor scheme by a head of year. At a weekly meeting the team decide which cases they will prioritise based on the level of problems. High priority is given to children bordering on a permanent exclusion order.

Kim added: "If a child has had a series of fixed term exclusion then we need to give them high priority. They may come to us because of problems at home or being violent towards staff, bullying issues or teenage pregnancy."

Letters are then sent to parents regarding the programme and the child is given the chance to have a learning mentor.

"The first thing we would do is observe them in a classroom when they don't know why we are there. But after initial contact with them they see us in a different light.

"We are a friend to them, someone who they can talk to about anything. As well as seeing them in lessons they come to our office at lunch and breaks where we work with them on social issues. Seeing some of them play scrabble for the first time can be a real breakthrough.

"We set them SMART targets -- which are specific, have meaning, are achievable, and realistic.

"And there are also home visits where we can act as a mediator between the parent and the school."

Kim's humility is one of her charms -- and no doubt one of the reasons the children warm to her so easily. She was embarrassed to be given a special commendation at the prestigious awards, after being nominated by one of the pupils.

"This award is for the whole team," she said. "It is one of the hardest jobs; being stuck in the middle of so many organisations and liaising with so many people. But the breakthrough is clear. This is something Darwen Moorland needed for a long time and the school has been changed for ever."