School Psychologist - Finley High School

NSW Department of Education; Berrigan; On-site; AUD 104,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Rural incentives of $20,000–$30,000 p.

Indemnity insurance covered while in a

Job summary

Finley High School in NSW is seeking a qualified school psychologist full-time to provide counselling and psychological assessment for students across primary and high school ages. The role offers supervision, professional development and opportunities to work with diverse communities within a supportive, multidisciplinary team.

You will be based at Finley High School, with potential to contribute across the lifespan, collaborate with families and external agencies, and participate in continuing

Qualifications

• Experience delivering counselling using evidence-based approaches.
• Ability to conduct psychological assessments and write reports.
• Collaborates with school staff and external agencies.
• Good communication with students, families and colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Provides counselling and psychological services to students individually and in groups.
• Implements the Professional Practice Framework for the NSW School Counselling Service.
• Collaborates with the principal, staff and student support services to improve wellbeing.
• Contributes to student social, emotional and academic development.
• Administers cognitive, social, emotional and behavioural assessments and reports results.
• Works with families, carers and other agencies to support student wellbeing.
• Responds to schools experiencing serious incidents; refers when needed.

Skills

Counselling

Psychological assessment

Collaboration

Communication

Education

General Psychology Registration

Provisional Psychology Registration

Job description

About the Role Full Time: 1.0 FTE (Full time equivalent) Location: Finley High School School psychologists are an essential part of the Department’s school counselling service and work in primary and high schools. They provide counselling and psychological assessment of students, to complement and enhance the work of teachers to strengthen student learning and wellbeing outcomes, and help families understand and manage their children’s learning and mental health needs. This is a truly collegiate role offering unique challenges and opportunities – both in your professional development and your ability to make an impact on the lives of children and young people. The successful candidate will be based at Finley High School and provided with opportunities to work across the lifespan with both primary and high school aged students. Working in a NSW public school will enable you to engage with a diversity of students (and school communities) like no other child and adolescent psychologist role can. This is a chance to use your skills to make a real difference in the lives of children and young people at a time in their lives when it matters most. School psychologists receive individual professional supervision with the Senior Psychologist Education and participate in group and peer supervision as a member of the broader school counselling team. You will most likely be collaborating with a number of school communities and colleagues, as well as outside agencies, with the opportunity to use and expand the full range of your skills and expertise as part of a supportive, multidisciplinary team. School psychologists are provided with opportunities to participate in continuing professional development and the NSW Department of Education will support you to complete or maintain your registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. Other benefits include access to a range of leave types, including recreation leave and flex leave, as well as leave loading, travel allowances and health and wellbeing benefits such as our Fitness Passport program. The department will also cover your indemnity insurance as a psychologist while working in our schools. Find out more about working as a school psychologist on the school counselling service pages of the NSW Department of Education website.

Finley High School is a comprehensive, co-educational high school located in the South-West of the Riverina. The school has an enrolment of 320 students including 7% Aboriginal students. It caters for the educational needs of four towns: Finley, Tocumwal, Berrigan, Jerilderie and the rural community of Blighty. The school is able to effectively cater for all students in a supportive and inclusive environment. There is a strong support structure with three support classes that are integrated within the mainstream school. Wellbeing is a major area identified within the community and the school has developed a Wellbeing Hub which includes a Head Teacher Wellbeing and a Student Support Officer. The school consistently achieves sound results in the Higher School Certificate across a broad range of subjects as well as outstanding results in sport, agriculture and the performing and creative arts. The school is very well supported by an active P & C and has fostered strong partnerships across our four communities, our local primary schools and community organisations. For more information, please visit the school website Finley High School .

Key Accountabilities

• Provides counselling and psychological services to students, individually and in groups, including appropriate short term therapeutic interventions undertaken within the constraints of their training, experience and supervision
• Engages with and implements the procedures of the Professional Practice Framework for the NSW School Counselling Service
• Works in consultation with the principal, school executive, staff and student support services to improve student learning and wellbeing outcomes and implement current departmental priorities
• Contributes to the social, emotional, and academic development of students, and supports schools and students with complex behavioural needs
• Administers cognitive, social, emotional and behavioural assessment of students, reports on the results of assessments and interventions and collaborates to improve learning, wellbeing and mental health outcomes
• Works collaboratively with learning and support teams, parents and carers, and other agencies, to develop appropriate school based support for students
• Responds as part of a team to assist schools experiencing serious incidents
• Refers students and/or their families and carers to other agencies that will support the development of student health and wellbeing outcome

Essential Requirements

1. Knowledge of and commitment to the Department’s Aboriginal Education Policy , Partnership Agreement with the NSW AECG Inc. and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy
2. General or Provisional Psychology Registration with the Psychology Board of Australia
3. Valid and current Working with Children Check clearance – WWCC must be NSW
4. Current and valid driver’s licence and ability and willingness to travel between work sites. Must have a valid unrestricted provisional or full driver’s licence with the ability to drive oneself.
5. Australian citizenship or permanent residency Rural and remote incentives of between $20,000 to $30,000 per annum are available for eligible school psychologist positions, depending on the remoteness of the school, school type, in recognition of the value of the school counselling service to students in rural and remote areas.

Rural and remote incentives of between $20,000 to $30,000 per annum are available for eligible school psychologist positions, depending on the remoteness of the school, school type, in recognition of the value of the school counselling service to students in rural and remote areas.

Total Remuneration Package Package valued up to $187,933 + incentives (where applicable). Base salary ranges from $104,156 - $165,812* plus leave loading and employer's contribution to superannuation. Base salary rates above the minimum are available dependent on professional experience. *Note there is no automatic progression to the $165,812 SPAC salary level. Access to SPAC is available once a school psychologist has progressed through all salary steps and upon successful application for Advanced Certification level against the NSW School Counselling Service Professional Practice Framework .

About the NSW Department of Education

The Department of Education is the largest provider of public education in Australia with responsibility for delivering high-quality public education to two-thirds of the NSW student population. We welcome applications from all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, refugees, neurodiverse people and people with disability. For more information, visit NSW Department of Education’s Diversity, equity and inclusion webpage.

The following questions must be addressed

• Experience in counselling using evidence-based interventions with a demonstrated understanding of the mental health needs of children and young people.
• Experience in the psychological assessment of children and young people, including case formulation and report writing.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with key stakeholders to improve the learning and wellbeing outcomes of children and young people including students from diverse backgrounds and needs.

Documents Role Description Aboriginal Education Policy As this is a child-related position, you will also be required to obtain a NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) Clearance number as a condition of employment (if you do not already have this). For more information, please visit the Office of the Children’s Guardian. In addition, your employment may be subject to the Department’s National Criminal Records Check to determine your suitability for employment.

Note: The selection process will include a range of assessment techniques to assist in determining your suitability for the role.