The School Counsellor is a valued member of our wider pastoral team and plays an important role in promoting and supporting positive mental health within the whole school community. As our School Counsellor you would be responsible for developing and maintaining a high-quality counselling service for the whole school, working closely with the School Nurse, Heads of Year and Heads of Section, the Wellbeing Practitioner, the Designated Safeguarding Lead and the Learning Support team.
Please note, this position is offered on a part time basis, working 0.6 - 0.8 FTE during term time only. With a full time equivalent salary of £39,650, the actual salary for this role is £23,790 to £31,720 per annum.
Responsibilities will include:
- Offering pupils independent and confidential counselling and support using a range of therapeutic interventions.
- Working with a diverse range of issues including bereavement and loss, transition, eating disorders and self-harm, depression, anger management and erratic behaviour, abuse of any kind, anxiety and fears.
- Providing expert input to Personal, Social, Health, Moral, Education (PHSME) lessons.
- Taking the lead in professional consultations with staff, parent/carers, general practitioners, psychiatrists, mental health workers, social workers, school nurses, home school link workers and educational psychologists.
- Being alert to trends and patterns of problems and being willing to identify causes and recommend corrective action.
- Regularly networking and building excellent working relationships with other agencies in order to ease the referral process.
- Reporting on a regular basis with regards to the use of the service, current trends and solutions.
- Maintaining BACP registration and keeping up-to-date with relevant legislation for both counselling and education.
- Supporting students at RGS Prep school on an ad hoc basis where capacity allows.
In return you will receive:
- Competitive salary
- Private medical cover
- Complimentary lunch during term time
- Company pension scheme with an individual contribution of 5% and a School contribution of 10%.
- Charitable payroll giving scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
There is a strong, supportive culture within the pastoral team, with plenty of opportunity for the counsellor to become involved in the wider life of the school.
The role offers the chance to have a significant and meaningful impact on the lives of young people, particularly as the school moves through an exciting period of change in becoming a fully coeducational environment.