Pupil Wellbeing Mentor and School Mental Health Lead

Teaching Vacancies; Gerrards Cross; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 18,000; Full time

Job summary

A local educational institution in Gerrards Cross is seeking a Pupil Wellbeing Mentor and School Mental Health Lead to support the emotional wellbeing of pupils and staff. The role includes providing strategic leadership and promoting mental health awareness. Essential qualifications include experience with primary-aged children and relevant mental health training. Competitive salary based on experience offered.

Qualifications

• Essential: Experience of supporting primary aged pupils with a range of emotional needs.
• Essential: Experience of supporting pupils to modify their own behaviour.
• Essential: Relevant mental health qualification/training for pupils and adults.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for emotional wellbeing and mental health support.
• Support pupils in managing stress and emotional challenges.
• Develop strategies for emotional wellbeing across the school.

Skills

Experience of supporting primary aged pupils with emotional needs

Experience addressing challenging behavior

Relevant mental health qualification

Counselling or therapeutic qualifications

Job description

What skills and experience we're looking for

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE:

• Essential: Experience of supporting primary aged pupils with a range of emotional needs.
• Essential: Experience of supporting pupils to successfully address and modify their own behaviour, some of which can be challenging.
• Essential: Relevant mental health qualification/ training for pupils and adults

• Desirable: Counselling or therapeutic qualifications and experience. (Note that it may be possible to develop the role with a specific number of hours at an enhanced pay grade for a candidate with additional qualifications and/or experience)

What the school offers its staff

Key information:

• Post Title: Pupil Wellbeing Mentor and School Mental Health Lead
• Salary: Depending on qualifications and experience: Bucks Pay range 2: £25,625 – £27,770 FTE (pro rata for 4 days £15,823-£17,147)
• Hours: 8.30am – 3.45pm, 3 or 4 days per week; Occasional staff meetings agreed in advance with time taken in lieu Term time only, including INSET days

Purpose of post:

To provide strategic and day-to-day leadership of the support for the emotional wellbeing and mental health support of pupils and staff

Responsible to: The Headteacher of The Gerrards Cross CE School

Further details about the role

MAIN DUTIES:

• Ensure that the strategic and day-to-day leadership of mental health and emotional wellbeing support contributes to the school vision to see ‘Every Child Flourishing’.
• Uphold the school’s Christian ethos at all times.
• Ensure that the Senior Leadership Team and Governing Body are well informed about best practice and legislation relating to mental health and emotional wellbeing; and that policies and practices relating to this work are up to date.
• Lead, monitor and evaluate the development of strategies to support the emotional wellbeing and mental health of pupils and staff.
• Encourage and support pupils who are disadvantaged, liaising with parents to ensure their children have priority access to extra-curricular activities.
• Ensure that staff are provided with relevant information and resources so that they can meet the emotional needs and resulting behaviours of pupils.
• Provide emotional support and guidance to pupils and staff, helping them manage stress, anxiety, relationships and other emotional challenges including trauma.
• Promote positive mental health, resilience, and confidence across the school.
• Lead lessons for pupils, workshops for parents, and training for staff in order to foster emotional awareness and wellbeing throughout our community.
• Create strategies and lead initiatives which meet the needs of our pupils
• Carry out observations on individual pupils to advise staff on appropriate strategies.
• Continue to train pupils in roles such as ‘wellbeing champions’ so that they are equipped to lead and support their peers.
• Report to the Headteacher and Governing Body at least termly.

HUMAN RESOURCES and PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

• Undertake any training to further knowledge and develop the school’s provision.
• Identify training needs for staff and recommend how these can be met.
• Liaise effectively with staff across school, including class teachers, LSAs and other internal and external professionals to ensure high quality provision for pupils and staff.
• Lead on the development and implementation of inclusive practice throughout the school and liaise with teachers, delivering and arranging appropriate training when necessary.
• Source emotional wellbeing and mental health training for staff and parents in line with school priorities.

RESOURCES:

• Ensure that the best possible resources are available to support the emotional wellbeing and mental health of pupils and staff.
• Ensure that the best possible reading resources are available to support the emotional wellbeing and mental health of pupils and staff.
• Liaise with the Premises Manager to ensure that Health and Safety standards are met, and that all necessary risk assessments are carried out and documented.

SAFEGUARDING:

• Safeguard and promote the wellbeing of all pupils by adhering to school policies and reporting any concerns immediately.
• Ensure the nurture room provides a safe environment in which pupils, staff and parents can be supported.

Commitment to safeguarding: We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether or not they have a disability. Please let us know if we need to make any reasonable adjustments for you in our recruitment process. Please note that this post will be subject to enhanced DBS checks as our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our children in our care.