Trainee jobs in United Kingdom

Salary: £51,893 - £61,664 a year plus £963 Essential Car User Allowance (subject to criteria)

Hours per week: 37

Contract type: Permanent

Are you passionate about making a lasting difference in the lives of children and young people? Do you thrive in a collaborative, forward‑thinking environment where your expertise truly matters? Luton Council is seeking a dedicated Educational Psychologist to join our dynamic team and help shape positive outcomes for our community.

We are a supportive team, seeking colleagues to expand our in‑demand service.

EPs have a balanced workload of traded and statutory work, opportunities to develop areas of interest through project work and enriching continued professional development.

Luton has a bold, ambitious and inspiring vision - a healthy, fair, and sustainable town where everyone can thrive, and no‑one has to live in poverty (Luton 2040).

Our work is oriented around achieving this vision by working in co‑production, using person‑centred approaches and empowering others. We are committed to working through a trauma‑informed framework, promoting relational approaches and being actively anti‑racist.

Our schools traded service continues to thrive, offering a link EP to educational settings through an early intervention model.

Our Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) programme is in its sixth year, supporting and training over 60 ELSAs.

Trainee and assistant educational psychologists are a core part of our team.

Our team is represented within the multi‑disciplinary neurodiversity early concerns team, alongside wider initiatives to promote neuro‑affirming approaches (PINS).

Emotion Coaching training is led by our accredited practitioners.

As part of the Department for Education (DfE) Change programme, we are piloting initiatives around use of alternative provision, with an EP linked to a multi‑disciplinary specialist team.

Specialist senior EPs support multi‑disciplinary teams and projects, including Social Care and Virtual School, and Early Years, offering a breadth of knowledge, applied skills and expertise across services.

We work closely with mental health services to develop the local wellbeing strategy, support for children and young people experiencing emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) and critical incident responses.

Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.

As an Educational Psychologist with Luton Council, you will play a central role in supporting children and young people across the borough. You will work closely with families, education settings, and multi‑disciplinary teams to deliver high‑quality psychological services, champion inclusive practice, and contribute to the continued development of SEND provision in Luton.

• Holds a masters or doctoral level qualification in child and educational psychology
• Is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as an Educational Psychologist, or be soon to qualified and eligible for registration.
• Experience working with children and young people aged 0‑25 and across a range of educational settings.
• Proven multi‑disciplinary working, collaborating effectively with a wide range of services and professionals.
• Exceptional communication and relationship‑building skills
• Strong report‑writing skills, with the ability to present information clearly and concisely.
• Ability to work as part of a supportive team, recognising and valuing diverse perspectives.
• Excellent organisational skills, able to meet conflicting demands, deadlines, and performance targets.
• Awareness of the impact of discrimination on access to services and on the lives of the children and families we support.
• Up‑to‑date knowledge of:
  • Current issues in identifying and supporting Special Educational Needs (SEN)
  • Best practices in educational psychology
  • Developments in education at local and national levels
  • The ability to travel across the borough as required.
  • A strong commitment to the values, aims and philosophy of Luton’s Children, Families and Education Directorate.

As an equal opportunities employer, we strongly welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We want our workforce to reflect the diversity of our local communities so that we can all work for a brighter future – together.

If you are interested in joining our fantastic service, please contact Dr Joanne Summers (Principal Educational Psychologist and Head of Inclusion Services) joanne.summers@luton.gov.uk or Dr Jane Reichardt (Deputy Principal Educational Psychologist) jane.reichardt@luton.gov.uk for an informal discussion.

Interview date: 19th January 2026

Because of the nature of this job, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure to be undertaken. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare all unspent cautions and convictions; and also any adult cautions (simple or conditional), and spent convictions that are not protected as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020). A person’s criminal record will not in itself prevent a person from being appointed to this post. Applicants will not be refused posts because of offences which are not relevant to, and do not place them at or make them a risk in, the role for which they are applying. However in the event of the employment being taken up, any failure to disclose such offence, as detailed above, will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Authority.

On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a very high number of applications being received.

• From 25 to 32 days’ annual leave: linked to length of service and grade
• Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave
• Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area
• Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 20.2 per cent (at July 2023) and 3x salary death in service grant
• Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility)
• Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home
• Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part‑time hours and alternative working patterns
• Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways
• Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons
• Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel

We understand that job applications take time and effort, but a high‑quality application shows that you are professional with a good attention to detail. The recruiting manager may receive a number of applications for each job advertised so you want yours to stand out!

Our 'How to apply' page has more tips to help with your application: How to apply

Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision – that no‑one in Luton will have to live in poverty – is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.

The people of Luton depend heavily on this council – and that means our workforce! Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our borough.