Academy Counsellor

Job Description

Post Title: Academy Counsellor

Location: Arnold Hill Spencer Academy

Salary/Pay Range: NJC12 – NJC16 £13,795 - £14,767 (depending on experience and qualifications)

Hours of work: Part Time, Term Time Only, 22.5 hours per week (3 days), Permanent.

Reporting to: SENCo and Safeguarding Vice Principal

Purpose of Role

This role is for a part time, Academy Counsellor to join our Inclusion Team. The successful candidate will divide their time equally between administrative tasks and providing students and staff with guidance and support. They will work with students experiencing difficulties in their life, including a range of mental health concerns, those who have been subjected to adverse experiences and those who may be particularly vulnerable. If you want to join an educational environment that truly values its students and employees, we are excited to talk with you. The ideal candidate will be able to operate within a dynamic and forward-thinking team who are focused on developing exciting and engaging learning experiences for students across the 11-18 age range, supporting the wider development of students, removing barriers to learning and supporting their safety, welfare, and well-being. Additionally, the postholder will need to work within The Academy to support our wellbeing agenda with staff, giving individual support to those with identified needs.

Nature and Scope

Support the mental health and wellbeing of vulnerable children and staff, alleviating safeguarding concerns, keeping children safe and supporting a resilient, happy and healthy workforce.

Relationships

The post holder will be responsible to the Principal in all matters, the Vice Principal for Behaviour/Attitudes and safeguarding for line management and will be required to work with a range of middle leaders, including pastoral and safeguarding leaders. The post holder will also interact on a professional level with colleagues and seek to establish and maintain productive relationships with them. The post holder will be responsible for leading counselling services across the Academy and will also work with external support services in coordinating care, guidance and support for identified children and staff

Safeguarding

The postholder will be expected to uphold the Academy’s policies in respect of Safeguarding and Child Protection and ensure the safety and well-being of all students and staff.

Working as part of this important team you will be required to carry out the following duties. The nature of the Academy Year requires some of these tasks to be done regularly whilst others will be on an annual cycle.

The post holder will be expected to use all Trust standard computer hardware and software packages where appropriate.

Specific responsibilities include:

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The following are the principal duties of the post. They are meant to provide a working framework within which the post holder should exercise initiative, flexibility, and accountability.

This list is not meant to provide a narrow definition of specific responsibilities but to serve as guidance and should be seen as enabling rather than restrictive.

• To support Academy improvement priorities (in particular) in behaviour, attitudes, personal development and safeguarding
• Lead on providing counselling services to identified students and staff
• Promote safety and welfare of all students through providing bespoke and relevant support to those identified with additional needs
• Keep formal records of support provided on a confidential basis
• Contribute to the personal development programme through guidance.
• Make appropriate referrals to Pastoral Support staff/safeguarding team as and when required.
• Liaise with Academy leaders and other relevant staff including pastoral staff the Alternative Provision Team on the day-to-day care of students to identify those who may require additional support, following and analysing trends/patterns.
• Facilitate discussions with students about their wellbeing and welfare
• Liaise with parents and carers as required for consent to facilitate counselling services
• Work with identified staff providing counselling to support those with additional needs as part of wider provision in the Employee Assistance Programme

Academic

• Support greater engagement in academic studies due to positive impact in support for wellbeing and welfare

Other Responsibilities

• Communicate effectively with a range of teams in The Academy and external services/organisations
• Communicate effectively with parents and carers
• Have an ambitious vision for the Academy and set high standards for quality and performance, always demonstrating high expectations and ambition for all students.
• Demonstrate clear judgment and effective leadership regarding Academy Evaluation and Improvement Strategies promoting improvements for all students in the context of the organisation.
• Ensure all students receive effective support through group and individual support as appropriate.
• Foster good working relationships with parents/carers and the wider community.

This job description is not a comprehensive statement of responsibilities and tasks, but sets out the main expectations of the Academy in relation to the post holder’s professional responsibilities and duties.

Other duties

Undertaking any other duties, which may reasonably be regarded as within the nature and the responsibilities/grade of the post, subject to the proviso that normally any changes of a permanent nature shall be incorporated into the job description in specific terms.

General

• Work in a professional manner and with integrity and maintain confidentiality of records and information.
• Maintain up to date knowledge in line with national changes and legislation as appropriate to the role.
• Be aware of and comply with all Trust policies including in particular IT, Health and Safety and Safeguarding.
• Participate in the Trust Professional Performance Review process and undertake professional development as required.
• Adhere to all internal and external deadlines.
• Contribute to the overall aims and ethos of the Spencer Academies Trust and establish constructive relationships with nominated Academies and other agencies as appropriate to the role.

These above-mentioned duties are neither exclusive nor exhaustive, the post- holder maybe required to carry out other duties as required by the Trust.

The Spencer Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our students and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. All posts are subject to enhanced DBS checks and completion of Level 2 safeguarding training.

Person Specification

Qualifications and experience

• Experience with secondary phase students
• Experience in counselling young people and in use of a range of appropriate techniques e.g. CBT
• Experience of working with colleagues in other teams or from other institutions
• Experience in meeting the needs of vulnerable children
• Able to work in a team and work positively with a range of staff and students and be passionate about working in a school environment
• Able to work effectively with diverse groups of people
• Able to set high standards in line with Academy ethos
• Ability to adapt to the ever-changing demands of the Academy community
• To have skills essential in counselling: listening, reflecting, summarising, suggesting, communicating, empathising
• Positive and caring approach to students
• Able to organise time efficiently, be organised and work to deadlines

Knowledge and skills

• Excellent people skills
• Competence in using common ICT applications
• Able to communicate effectively using both the spoken and the written word
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Evidence of a broad understanding of current educational issues

Personal qualities

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to maintain strict confidentiality
• Initiative and ability to prioritise own work and that of others to meet deadlines
• Efficient and meticulous in organisation
• Able to follow direction and work in collaboration with the leadership team
• Able to work flexibly, adopt a hands-on approach and respond to unplanned situations
• Ability to evaluate own development needs and those of others and to address them
• Commitment to the highest standards of child protection and safeguarding
• Recognition of the importance of personal responsibility for health and safety
• Commitment to the Trust’s ethos, aims and whole community.

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent

Salary: £13,795.00-£14,767.00 per year

Expected hours: 22.5 per week

Benefits:

• Canteen
• Free flu jabs
• Free parking
• On-site gym
• On-site parking

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• No weekends

Ability to Commute:

• Nottingham, NG5 6NZ (required)

Work Location: In person