Lead Mental Health Practitioner

Thurston Community College

Thurston, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 3PB

Email: recruitment@thurstoncollege.org - Website: www.thurstoncollege.org 

Principal: Maéve Taylor BA (Hons)

Current Roll: 1501; Years 7-11: 1330; Sixth Form: 171

Lead Mental Health Practitioner

Required to start April/May 2024

The Opportunity?

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, highly motivated and inspirational professional to join Thurston Community College as our Mental Health Lead Practitioner.

Our successful candidate will have experience and the necessary skills within care of young people in need of Mental Health Services. This could be within the NHS or CAMHS or clinically based and should include case management and multi-agency working.

You will work alongside the Inclusion and Safeguarding Teams to plan, develop and implement a strategic plan to support mental health and mental wellbeing for our students. The ability to adapt to the needs of our students and deliver timely interventions is essential.

You will therefore be someone who values working as part of a team and who is able to train and support others to deliver programmes that overcome the barriers many of our young people are currently facing.

Future Thurston:

It was recently announced that the school will be part of the School Rebuild Programme and we have entered the feasibility phase. This will mean we will be a part of shaping a new school over the next few years. An exciting prospect and an exciting time to join Thurston Community College. In addition, and due to our growing numbers, a smaller new building project has recently been completed at the Thurston Campus which is now open to students and houses three new science classrooms.

Who are we:

A new Principal started in January 2024 and together with the Governing Body has set an exciting and aspirational vision for the College over the next three years. The person appointed for this role will be a fundamental part in building on our already Good Ofsted Status (March 2018) and realising our vision to create:

1. A stimulating, accessible and safe learning environment in which our villages and towns come together as a community which is much more than the sum of its parts.  
2. A high performing learning organisation.
3. A culture of high standards, which reinforces excellent behaviour, mutual respect, tolerance and understanding of what it is to be a citizen, not only of the school, but of local, national and international societies.
4. At the heart of a wide network of partnerships that provide opportunities for mutual improvement and benefit.

Our purpose is simple; to inspire a love of learning, empower our College community with the knowledge and skills to help them make meaningful choices and contribute positively to the world in which we live to achieve excellence in all aspects of school life.

We require a Lead Mental Health Practitioner who has:

• A proven track record in their current role, preferably working with young people.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Is a strong team player and committed to supporting others to remove barriers and support good mental health across our community.

In return we will provide:

• An opportunity to help shape our strategy for mental health provision, working alongside the inclusion team to build resilience and unlock potential.
• Opportunities to develop both professionally and personally.
• Join a talented team, dedicated to work effectively together to secure positive outcomes for our students.
• Benefit from our Employee Assistance Programme.
• Free parking and tea/coffee

If you are excited by this post, its challenges and opportunities; if you relish the prospect of joining our team of committed and excellent staff, we very much look forward to hearing from you.  Please visit our website for further information or if you would like to discuss this post further please do not hesitate to contact recruitment@thurstoncollege.org. 

Thurston Community College enjoys a rural location with free parking and convenient transport links to Cambridge, Ipswich and London.  

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt - if you would like to visit the school please email recruitment@thurstoncollege.org. 

Thurston Community College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointment to this post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check as well as other pre-appointment checks outlined in Keeping Children Safe in Education.