School Counsellor

CATS Global Schools; Canterbury; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Part time

Job summary

The Worthgate School seeks a qualified student counsellor to provide confidential one-to-one counselling to pupils aged 14+ and collaborate with the Boarding, Pastoral, Medical and safeguarding teams to remove barriers to learning. The role reports to the Director of Safeguarding, Mental Health and Wellbeing and aligns with the Principal's direction.

Note: consultancy arrangement with no fixed hours guaranteed, catering for flexible attendance in line with safeguarding needs and student welfare.

Qualifications

• Qualified counsellor, preferably with experience in education.
• Efficient and organised.
• Skilled communicator and relationship builder.
• IT literate and able to use school systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide independent confidential counselling to students through one-to-one sessions.
• Coordinate with Programme/Curriculum Directors on educational concerns.
• Promote a caring environment and support student wellbeing.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with safeguarding policies (BACP/UKCP).
• Keep secure records and liaise with staff with student consent.
• Work with external agencies for referrals when needed.
• Contribute to annual reporting on service use and issues.

Skills

Counselling

Communication

IT literacy

English proficiency

Education

Counselling qualification

Job description

ABOUT THE WORTHGATE SCHOOL

The Worthgate School offers an outstanding international pre-university educational experience to students aged 14+ from all over the world. Worthgate School students live and work in the beautiful Victorian campus, studying for GCSEs, A levels and University Foundation Programmes, and preparing for admission to universities across the country and elsewhere. We pride ourselves on our approach to teaching and learning, with small class sizes and an informal atmosphere ensuring that students are treated as individuals and build great relationships with staff.

OVERVIEW OF THE JOB

The role of the student counsellor at The Worthgate School is to provide one-to-one counselling to students to support their health and wellbeing so they can participate fully in an active school life. Together with the Boarding, Pastoral, Medical and safeguarding teams, the counsellor will assist in removing or modifying well-being barriers to learning in individual students and will help early detection, support and where necessary referral. You will be directly responsible to the Director or Safeguarding, Mental Health and Wellbeing. You will work within the framework set by and under the general direction of the Principal.

Please note, this role is offered on a consultancy agreement with no fixed hours guranteed.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB

• Provide an independent and confidential counselling service to students at The Worthgate School through individual sessions, responding to their personal, social, emotional or educational concerns.
  
• Liaise with the student’s Programme Director, or the relevant Curriculum Director, when educational concerns are raised.
  
• Promote a caring and supportive environment where such concerns may be explored, thereby promoting the mental and emotional health of students.
  
• Play an active role in Safeguarding children and young people and adhere with guidance from The Worthgate School’s policies.
  
• Maintain confidentiality (except in those circumstances, in line with BACP/UKCP practice and/or The Worthgate School Safeguarding Policy (especially where information needs to be disclosed).
  
• Maintain appropriate records and to keep these secure.
  
• Liaise, where appropriate and with the student’s consent, with members of school staff (unless superseded by safeguarding needs).
  
• Where appropriate and with the student’s and/or parents’ consent, work with external agencies where needed to make referrals or support self-referrals.
  
• Be vigilant of trends and patterns of problems and to be willing to identify causes and recommend corrective action.
  
• Contribute in any other reasonable fashion to promote the safety and wellbeing of students.
  
• Uphold good practice as described by the BACP/UKCP ethical guidelines.
  
• Ensure that as a Counsellor you are properly and regularly supervised, as required by the BACP/UKCP. The name and address of the supervisor must be supplied on request to the Head of Boarding.
  
• Be responsible for identifying your own professional development needs to maintain a high level of knowledge and awareness of changes and developments in the fields of counselling and education and their impact on the delivery of counselling.
  
• Contribute to an annual report on the use of the service and the types of issues being presented.
  
• Attend meetings or communicate with parents if asked and as appropriate within the agreed confidentiality guidelines above.
  
• Attend Welfare meetings or provide relevant information via the Head of Boarding about students of concern in advance of the Welfare meetings.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The job requires that you are:

• A qualified counsellor, preferably with experience within Education.
  
• Efficient and organised.
  
• A skilled communicator and a relationship builder - able to work effectively with colleagues and students.
  
• IT literate.
  
• Good at prioritising your time.
  
• Able to work under pressure.
  
• A quick learner.
  
• Proactive, flexible, trustworthy, dependable and reliable.
  
• Comfortable working in English.
  
• Internally aware and culturally sensitive.
  
• Good team player, but also able to work autonomously.
  
• Willing to play a part in the wider life of the College community.

And that you have:

• Experience of working with young people.
  
• Proven safeguarding experience.
  
• Proven management skills.
  
• A logical, structured and organised outlook on life.
  
• High levels of energy, an even temper and a sense of humour.
  
• The ability to relate to young people.
  
• A willingness to work unsociable hours, including occasionally at weekends and evenings.

OUR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY

We are committed to diversity, inclusion and belonging. Building on our core values - Pioneering, Persevering, People - We pledge to deliver a series of events, guest speakers and focus groups to make CATS Global Schools and employer of choice for all.

SAFEGUARDING

CGS is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the welfare and well-being of children and young people. As such, appointment is subject to the satisfactory completion of safer recruitment employment checks in line with KCSIE guidelines. This will include satisfactory references, enhanced DBS from the Disclosures and Barring Service and, where applicable, any international equivalent being obtained. Shortlisted candidates will be subject to online checks which may include social media.