School Counsellor

Courtlands Independent Special School; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 34,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Actual annual salary £34,000–£38,000

Term-time schedule with professional/督

Funded external clinical supervision

Supportive multidisciplinary team

Caseload management and admin time

Continuing professional development

Visiting opportunities to learn aboutP

Job summary

Courtlands Independent Special School seeks an experienced, fully qualified School Counsellor to join our SEND and therapeutic team. You will provide individual counselling aligned to each pupil's communication and development needs, with safeguarding at the forefront of practice.

The role requires substantial post-qualification experience counselling children and young people, along with current BACP membership and a commitment to collaborative, compassionate care within a multidisciplinary

Qualifications

• Recognised Level 4+ qualification in counselling/psychotherapy.
• Specialist training and competence in counselling children and young people.
• Current registered membership of a professional body (e.g., BACP).
• Substantial post-qualification experience counselling children/young people.
• Experience supporting autistic young people and those with anxiety, SEND and school attendance barriers.
• Strong safeguarding understanding and confidentiality.
• Ability to assess and respond to risk within the professional role.
• Good professional judgement, warmth and ability to build trust.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a multidisciplinary team.
• Desirable: professional accreditation such as BACP accreditation.

Responsibilities

• Assess referrals and agree therapeutic goals with young people.
• Deliver counselling within professional boundaries.
• Contribute to pupil support planning and review impact of therapy.
• Maintain accurate, secure and confidential records.
• Recognise safeguarding concerns and work with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Collaborate with families, staff and external professionals with confidentiality and consent.
• Support colleagues to understand pupils’ emotional needs and access to school life.

Skills

Counselling children & young people

Safeguarding knowledge

Risk assessment

Interpersonal skills

Teamwork / independence

Autism support experience

Experience in multi-disciplinary teams

Emotional wellbeing support

Education

Level 4+ qualification in counselling/psychotherapy

BACP membership or equivalent

BACP accreditation or equivalent (desirable)

Post-qualification experience counselling children/young people

Job description

Salary: £34,000–£38,000 gross per annum, depending on qualifications and experience. This is the actual annual salary for the advertised term-time working pattern and will not be reduced further for term-time working.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:15am–4:30pm, term time only
Contract: Permanent
Start: January 2027, or sooner if available

Courtlands is a specialist secondary school seeking an experienced, fully qualified and professionally registered School Counsellor to join our multidisciplinary SEND and therapeutic team.

Our students are lovely young people: individual, funny and full of character. Many are autistic and experience high anxiety, social communication difficulties and barriers to school attendance. Building trusting relationships and helping young people feel safe, understood and able to engage in school is central to our approach.

We are seeking an established practitioner with substantial post-qualification experience of counselling children and young people.

The role

You will provide individual counselling and therapeutic support, adapting your approach to each young person’s communication preferences, developmental needs and readiness to engage.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Assessing referrals and agreeing appropriate therapeutic goals with young people.
• Delivering counselling within your professional competence and maintaining clear therapeutic boundaries.
• Contributing to pupil support planning and reviewing the impact of therapeutic work.
• Maintaining accurate, secure and appropriately confidential counselling records.
• Recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns, working closely with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Working collaboratively with families, school staff and external professionals, respecting consent, confidentiality and safeguarding responsibilities.
• Supporting colleagues to understand pupils’ emotional needs and develop approaches that help them access school life.

You will work closely with our SENCo, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, ELSAs, pastoral staff and teachers.

The working day includes protected time each day for case recording, professional liaison, preparation and counselling-related administration, so that these responsibilities can normally be completed within working hours.

We are looking for someone who has

• A recognised practitioner qualification in counselling or psychotherapy at Level 4 or above.
• Appropriate specialist training and demonstrated competence in counselling children and young people.
• Current registered membership of BACP, or equivalent registration with a recognised counselling or psychotherapy professional body.
• Substantial post-qualification experience of providing counselling to children and young people.
• Experience of supporting autistic young people and those experiencing anxiety, SEND and barriers to school attendance.
• A strong understanding of safeguarding, confidentiality, therapeutic boundaries and neurodiversity-affirming practice.
• The ability to assess and respond appropriately to risk within their professional role.
• Sound professional judgement, warmth and the ability to build trusting relationships.
• The ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a multidisciplinary team.
• Individual professional accreditation, such as BACP accreditation or equivalent, is desirable.
• For a practitioner with appropriate supervision qualifications and experience, clinical supervision of trainee counsellors may be considered by separate agreement, with responsibilities, protected time and any associated remuneration agreed in advance.

What we offer

• An actual annual salary of £34,000–£38,000, paid in equal monthly instalments.
• A supportive school community and established multidisciplinary team.
• A manageable counselling caseload.
• Daily protected administration, preparation and recording time.
• Funded external clinical supervision.
• Opportunities for relevant continuing professional development.
• Informal visits are welcome and offer an opportunity to meet the team and learn more about our pupils and approach.

Courtlands is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Appointment will be subject to satisfactory safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check with children’s barred list information, references, and verification of qualifications and professional registration.