Mental Health Practitioner

The School

Magdalen College School, Oxford, founded by William Waynflete in 1480, is one of the country’s leading independent schools. It is situated in an enviable location at the heart of Oxford beside the River Cherwell.

Please refer to the attached "Information Pack - Mental Health Practitioner 2023" for more information. 

The Role

MCS is seeking to appoint a Mental Health Practitioner, with ideally an RMN/RGN qualification (or equivalent) (NMC registered), with some school/young person’s experience. 

This post’s shift pattern is a 7:30am start and a 6pm finish Monday to Friday to meet the general needs of the school. (Please note that this is a full-time, term-time only position)

The main duties of the role will include, but not be restricted to:

• Responsible for planning and implementing the best treatment and care for pupils

• Advising others on the best course of action and care for all pupils

• Organising workloads and writing risk assessments

• Provision of evidence based individual therapy, i.e. cognitive behavioural therapy for pupils with anxiety and depression

• Building up good, trustworthy relationships and rapport with staff, pupils, parents and outside agencies

• Being available to pupils at all times with an open-door policy and to be a reassuring and positive presence, particularly to those pupils in particular distress

• Being a good listener and applying good verbal communication skills

• Providing the wider school community with health education literature and information on mental health

• Administering prescribed medication where necessary

• Offering advice and arranging secondary care where necessary

• Provision of experienced advice and follow-up treatment for pupils requiring mental health advice, which may include pupils with eating problems, anxiety, depression, self-harming issues. 

• To set up support groups and/or one-to-one drop-in sessions where necessary

• Provision of information and support to pupils about sexual health and contraception

• Working as a team member and in particular with the Usher, School Pastoral team, School Matrons, Counsellors, parents and guardians

• Writing and updating pupil records on ISAMS

• To meet weekly with your Line Manager, the Senior Matron

• Being able and willing to work a shift pattern to include a 7:30am start and a 6pm finish Monday to Friday to meet the general needs of the school. (Please note that this is a full-time, term-time only position)

• Being able and willing to undertake other basic tasks in the Medical Centre i.e. helping sick, unwell and distressed pupils and administering basic medical care

The post holder will be expected to undertake any other duties or tasks as reasonably directed or requested by the Master. This job description may be subject to review in consultation with the post holder.

The Candidate

Candidates from a range of backgrounds are encouraged to apply for this role.

The successful candidate is likely to be able to demonstrate/have:

• Demonstrable experience in a similar role and, in particular, a fully formed knowledge and understanding of the developmental, emotional, social and educational needs and issues surrounding children and young people

• Ideally, 2-3 years’ post-qualification experience

• A proven track record as an adolescent mental health practitioner with children and young people

• Good working knowledge of best practice in the field of mental health and the ability to apply it in this role

• Line management experience and the ability to handle referrals into and out of the EWT service

• A high level of IT acumen

• An awareness of national trends in adolescent mental health and of local mental health and CAMHS service

• Knowledge of the Children’s Act and legislation pertaining to children

• Excellent interpersonal skills and team working ability

• Excellent communication skills

• Patience, tolerance, tactfulness, with the ability to work confidentially, but to know when to raise issues with colleagues/outside agencies

• A strong level of emotional intelligence with an empathetic and sensitive approach to all parties

• The ability to prioritise effectively

Application Process

Candidates should submit the Application Form for Support Staff which can be found on the Job Vacancy link of the website (www.mcsoxford.org). To access Click here. To apply for the position please send the following two documents to the HR Administrator, Miss Aimee Edwards (recruitment@mcsoxford.org). 

1. Support Staff Application Form
2. CV

All documentation should be sent no later than Tuesday 31st January at noon; early applications are highly encouraged. The school's preferred method of communication is by email and it will not be necessary to send a hard copy of the documents by post. 

References may be taken up in advance. If you do not wish references to be called for at this stage, please make that clear on the reference section of the application form.

We will be holding the interviews on an ad-hoc basis. We might contact candidates for the telephone interview prior to the closing date of the job ad.

Remuneration and other benefits 

The salary is broadly in line with a Band 6 NHS Nursing role, on a pro rata basis and commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the successful candidate. This post is full time (38.75 hours) and the shift pattern is between 7:30am and 6pm Monday to Friday with the occasional Saturday to meet the general needs of the school, approximately 5 per year (Please note that this is a term-time only position)

There is a wide range of benefits on offer to staff, such as free lunches, free private medical insurance and fee remission. Head to mcsoxford.org/vacancies to find out more. 

Safeguarding Policy

Magdalen College School is committed to the safeguarding of pupils, and any offer of employment will be subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure, the receipt of satisfactory references, the school’s pre-employment medical questionnaire, plus sight of relevant original ID documentation and degree certificate(s).