School Counsellor & Wellbeing Lead

Scale : LTA, £19,779 - £22,702 Term Time Actual (£29,174 – £33,486 FTE)

About Us

Due to continued success, we have a fantastic opportunity for a passionate and experienced School Counsellor & Wellbeing Lead to join the team at Laurus Cheadle Hulme. You will become a key member of the Laurus Trust family, and will play a vital role in maintaining the high standards of the Trust. 

All our Laurus Schools are hugely oversubscribed and have a reputation, both locally and further afield, for outstanding teaching and learning through the relentless pursuit of excellence and the determination to ensure that every child succeeds. In the recent Staff Engagement Survey, over 95% of our employees stated that they would recommend working for Laurus Trust to their friends.

The Laurus Trust is an inclusive Equal Employment Opportunity employer that considers applicants without regard to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabled or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We welcome and encourage applications from all individuals regardless of individual background or circumstance.

Main Responsibilities 

• Provide a counselling service for individual students across the Trust.  
• Work with students in small groups on aspects of wellbeing including mindfulness, alleviating exam stress and strategies for improving their self-esteem. 
• Deliver training to staff on aspects of mental health and wellbeing. 
• Work closely with the Pastoral Teams at each school to create a positive culture regarding mental health issues and raising awareness. 
• Contribute to the wider PHSE curriculum regarding mental health.  
• Provide regular reports for a wider audience including governors and trustees on aspects of counselling and mental health. 
• Ensure that the service provided adheres to current legislation and any new developments. 
• Accurately maintain and securely store all records. 
• Attend meetings with parents, peers, management and others as appropriate. 
• Undertake such other duties related to the work of the school appropriate to the post, as may be assigned. 
• Undertake any necessary professional development that may be identified.

Key Skills & Experience  

• Sound educational background including GCSE’s in Maths and English (A*-C) or equivalent  
• Level 4 Counselling Diploma is essential  
• Evidence of work with children/young people and involvement with parents is necessary  
• Experience working in a school environment would be advantageous  
• Ideally possess prior experience within a similar role 

Employee Benefits

We offer a wide range of employee benefits to all of our staff in return for their commitment to our schools, and to help contribute towards improving their well-being. These can be found in the Candidate Brochure.

Core Behaviours

At the Laurus Trust, it is not just about what we do but also about how we do it. Our core behaviours detailed below provide guidance on the expectations we have of our staff. It is essential that any employee joining the Trust is able to demonstrate some or all of these behaviours on a regular/daily basis: 

• Adaptable - Open to change, to be flexible 
• Courageous - Willing to speak up, offer ideas, challenge the norm 
• Hard Working - Strong work ethic, prepared to go the extra mile 
• Inclusive - Treat others fairly and equally 
• Engaged - Involved/absorbed in your work, participate at all times 
• Value - Add value to your role, your team and the Trust 
• Enquiring - Have an enquiring mind, curious, improve and find solutions 
• Motivated - Pro-active, wanting to achieve goals, willingness to try, can do attitude 
• Encouraging - Giving/offering support and confidence to others, working together 
• Navigator - Providing guidance, leading when necessary 
• Tenacious - Perseverance, never giving up, whatever it takes

Applying to the Laurus Trust

If you want to work in a highly ambitious and successful school, and have the passion and commitment to join us at an exciting time of continuous progression and growth, then we would like to hear from you. 

For more information about The Laurus Trust, or for further information relating to the role and the School you’re applying to, please download the Job Description and Candidate Brochure or visit https://www.laurustrust.co.uk/

Please note: an application form must be completed as CV’s will not be accepted. To complete an application form please click ‘Quick Apply’.

If you would prefer to request a manual application pack, or should you require any additional support in completing your application, please feel free to contact us on 0161 549 7000 or via e-mail at; recruitment@laurustrust.co.uk  

Closing Date: Friday 8th July 2022 at 09:00

Interview Date: Wednesday 13th July 2022

The Laurus Trust and its affiliated schools are committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to a safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. It is an offence to apply for the role if the applicant is barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practice across the school. This is in line with statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education and The Education Act 2002, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.